Download planting the landscape

OBJECTIVES
The student will be able to…
• Draw a diagram of
what can be done to
prevent tree roots
from invading and
damaging paved
areas.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
OBJECTIVES
The student will be able to…
• Compare and contrast the planting procedures for
balled & burlapped versus container-grown plants.
• Diagram how to stake a newly planted tree.
• Relate the features of a low-maintenance
landscape.
• Assemble a list of pruning tools necessary for
landscape maintenance.
• Explain the purposes of pruning.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
OBJECTIVES
The student will be able to…
• Recognize crossing branches, improper pruning
cuts, suckers & girdling roots on landscape plants.
• Demonstrate the hand removal of candles for
pruning evergreens.
• Draw three outline shapes that are acceptable for
pruning of formal hedges to ensure the health of
the lower portions.
• Describe the advantages and disadvantages of
sprinkler versus drip irrigation.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
OBJECTIVES
The student will be able to…
• List three techniques for water conservation in a
landscape.
• Identify and describe four mulches suitable for
use in a landscape.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
PLANTING THE LANDSCAPE
• Practices for landscaping vary significantly
depending on the region of North America.
– Landscapes are planted in spring in temperate zones.
• Plants will be dormant or just starting active growing, and
transplant with minimal shock.
• The ground will be thawed (far North), the temperature
relatively cool, slowing transpiration, preventing wilting.
– Fall is the second-best time for transplanting.
• Again because of the cool temperatures.
– Summer is the least preferable time for planting as sun &
hot temperatures make the wilting problems more acute.
• If container-grown plants are used exclusively, roots will be
undisturbed and will grow even in summer.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
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PLANTING THE LANDSCAPE
Trees & Shrubs - Bare Root
• Shrubs and trees are sold bare root, balled and
burlapped, or container grown.
– Selling condition determines price, chances of surviving
transplanting, and the seasons for transplanting.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
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PLANTING THE LANDSCAPE
Trees & Shrubs - Bare Root
• Only deciduous plants are sold bare root.
– Always dug and sold while dormant.
• Most bare-root plants are sold only in spring.
– Occasionally available in fall or throughout winter.
• Bare root is an inexpensive way to buy plants, as
they are grown in fields with minimal maintenance.
– And simply dug up when the selling season arrives.
• Most mail-order nurseries utilize this selling.
– To minimize shipping weight.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
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PLANTING THE LANDSCAPE
Trees & Shrubs - Bare Root
• A bare-root plant is more likely to die during
transplant than a container-grown one.
– Many roots are lost when they are dug from the ground.
• When selecting a bare-root plant, pick the sturdiest
plant with the largest root system.
– Roots should be covered with or bagged in wood
shavings.
– They be damp to the touch—if they have dried, the plant
may be dead.
– If the plant is alive, a green layer will be visible under
the surface if you scratch a tiny area of bark.
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By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
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PLANTING THE LANDSCAPE
Trees & Shrubs - Bare Root
• If planting cannot take place for several days, the
plant should be left in a shady area with the roots
covered with moist soil.
– This heeling in prevents drying and the death of the roots.
• At planting time, the roots should be placed in a
bucket of water & the tree taken to the planting site.
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PLANTING THE LANDSCAPE
Trees & Shrubs - Bare Root
• A hole should be dug large enough
to accommodate the roots easily
without crowding.
– Topsoil should be piled on
a piece of canvas or plastic
next to the hole and not
mixed with the subsoil.
Organic amendment can be
mixed with the soil to make
a mixture to refill the hole.
Figure 13-1 A bare root tree after transplanting.
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PLANTING THE LANDSCAPE
Trees & Shrubs - Bare Root
• Part of the mixture should be shoveled back into
the hole, so when the plant is placed in the hole,
it will be sitting at or slightly above its original
growing level.
• Any badly broken roots should be clipped off with
hand pruners, and remaining roots spread outward
in the hole, and covered with soil to ground level.
• A small ridge of soil should be mounded around the
planting hole as a basin for water.
– The plant should be watered in well, by filling the basin
three or four times.
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By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
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PLANTING THE LANDSCAPE
Trees & Shrubs - Balled-and-Burlapped
• Balled and burlapped refers
to trees and shrubs grown
in a field but dug to
keep a ball of soil
around the roots.
– Both evergreens &
deciduous plants
are balled and
burlapped.
Because the process
involves considerable
labor, plants sold this
way are expensive.
Figure 13-2 A balled-and-burlapped tree after transplanting.
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PLANTING THE LANDSCAPE
Trees & Shrubs - Balled-and-Burlapped
• Because the digging disturbs only part of the roots,
balled-and-burlapped plants usually transplant
successfully.
– Provided the ball remains moist, and proper planting
procedures are used.
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PLANTING THE LANDSCAPE
Trees & Shrubs - Balled-and-Burlapped
• Hole and soil preparation is basically the same as
for bare-root plants.
– However, the hole should be twice as wide as the ball,
and one to one and one-half times as deep.
– Care must be taken when transplanting to prevent
the soil ball from breaking.
– Once the plant is in position in the hole, the strings can be
cut & removed and the burlap peeled back from the trunk.
– Plastic burlap should be removed completely, and even
ordinary burlap, which may have been treated to prevent
rotting, is best removed.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
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PLANTING THE LANDSCAPE
Trees & Shrubs - Container-Grown Plants
• Because the root system develops within the
container, the plant is disturbed only slightly at
transplanting, and moved when the soil is workable.
– With a plastic container, the plant can be turned upside
down and will slide out easily with little shaking.
• A planting hole should be at least twice as big
as the container.
• If the plant is root-bound—with roots grown on the
outside of the soil ball, encircling it—the roots
should be loosened by hand, or cut so they will
brace out into the new soil.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
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PLANTING THE LANDSCAPE
Trees & Shrubs - Boxed Trees
• Occasionally, you will see large trees for sale with
their roots in boxes.
– These may have been container grown, or field grown.
• Boxing is in lieu of balling and burlapping.
• Planting-hole preparation should be the same as
for balled-and-burlapped plants.
• Carefully remove box to avoid breaking the soil ball.
– The tree should be turned on its side and the bottom of
the box removed.
– Using a board as an inclined plane, the box should
then be slid onto the planting hole.
– Once in place, the sides of the box can be removed
and the hole filled with soil.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
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PLANTING THE LANDSCAPE
Pruning Newly Transplanted Trees and Shrubs
• Pruning new transplants encourages them to
develop proper form.
– Many times, bare-root plants are sold prepruned,
and need no further pruning until the following season.
• About one-third of the top should be removed at
transplant, by removing weaker branches & clipping
remaining branches back to one-half to two-thirds
of their original length.
– Branches low on the trunk should not be removed,
as the branches strengthen the trunk.
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PLANTING THE LANDSCAPE
Staking and Wrapping Trees
• Staking may be needed either to anchor the root
system of the tree until it becomes established,
or support the trunk in an upright position.
– Usually for a maximum of 1 year.
• Unless it can be determined that staking is fulfilling
one of these functions, it is not necessary.
– And will cause weakening of the trunk.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
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PLANTING THE LANDSCAPE
Staking Trees
For root anchorage
of bare-root trees,
two short stakes
(about 1 to 1-1/2 ft)
should be inserted
on opposite sides
of the trunk.
Figure 13-2 A balled-and-burlapped tree after transplanting.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
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© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
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PLANTING THE LANDSCAPE
Staking Trees
• The tree should be secured to each stake with
strips of rubber, cloth, or wire, covered with a
section of garden hose.
– Uncovered wire, rope, or twine is not recommended, as
friction will cause it to rub off the tender bark.
• Trees that require trunk support should be staked
as low as will allow them to stand upright under
calm conditions.
– Stakes should be positioned on opposite sides of
the tree and the trunk tied to the stakes at a single
point near the top.
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By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
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PLANTING THE LANDSCAPE
Wrapping Trees
• Wrapping involves
twining tree-wrapping
paper, vinyl, or burlap
secured with twine
around a tree trunk
from the base to the
lowest branches.
– Wrapping should be
left in place for about
1 year after which it
should be removed.
Figure 13-3 Wrapping a tree trunk with vinyl tape.
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© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
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PLANTING THE LANDSCAPE
Wrapping Trees
Wrapping protects the trunk from
sun damage, a problem on trees
grown in rows with their trunks
shaded by neighboring trees.
It also protects against bark
damage from string trimmers
used too close to the trunk.
A semi-permanent plastic/metal
collar is better in the long run to
protect the trunk for many years.
Figure 13-3 Wrapping a tree trunk with vinyl tape.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
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PLANTING THE LANDSCAPE
Transplanting Groundcovers
• Groundcovers, herbaceous perennials or woody
shrubs, are transplanted with a trowel throughout
a prepared bed, and watered thoroughly.
• Many herbaceous groundcovers spread by trailing
along the surface of the soil, so it is important that
soil in a groundcover area be conditioned.
– Spaded to at least 12”, with amendment throughout.
• Spacing is determined by economics and how
quickly coverage is desired.
– Spacing plants 2 ft. apart costs less than spacing 8”
apart, but takes up to a year longer to cover the area.
– 1 ft. spacing gives coverage at a moderate rate/expense.
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By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
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PLANTING THE LANDSCAPE
Transplanting Groundcovers
• When landscaping with groundcover, using landscape fabric to cover the area is a wise investment.
It is a water permeable, woven
or felted synthetic material that
is laid over the area to be planted.
Then holes are cut for each
groundcover plant; the plants
are inserted through the fabric
for planting.
Figure 13-4 Planting a groundcover through
a landscape fabric will make subsequent
maintenance much easier.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
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The advantages of landscape
fabric are permanent, total weed
control while still allowing water
to penetrate.
In this regard, it is different from
black plastic mulch.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
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PLANTING THE LANDSCAPE
Postplanting Care of the Landscape - Watering
• During the first growing season, plant roots occupy
only a small volume of soil, and need constant
moisture to become established in the new location.
• Slow soaking with a hose is preferred for shrubs
and trees, every 7 to 10 days.
– Allows all the moisture to be absorbed into the soil and
provides sufficient water to moisten the entire root area.
• Groundcover watering is done by hand or sprinkler.
– As frequently as required to keep the soil moist.
• It is advisable to check depth of water penetration
with a trowel after watering, digging to the depth of
the roots and examining the soil moisture.
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PLANTING THE LANDSCAPE
Postplanting Care of the Landscape
• Mulching keeps in soil moisture and prevents weed
growth, a problem in newly planted groundcover
areas.
• Regular maintenance by pruning, fertilizing,
watering, and weed control is a necessity if home
grounds are to remain attractive and plants healthy.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Features of a Low-Maintenance Landscape
• Landscapes designed to remain attractive with
minimal maintenance may include:
– Large paved or decked areas that require only occasional
sweeping.
– Raised planters that require less bending for maintenance.
– Groundcover areas in lieu of lawns to eliminate mowing.
– Mulches or groundcovers around all trees & shrubs to
eliminate hand trimming, and suppress weed growth.
– An automatic irrigation system where rainfall is insufficient.
– A limited number of carefully placed plants, rather than
large numbers of plants scattered through the landscape.
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By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Features of a Low-Maintenance Landscape
• Landscapes designed to remain attractive with
minimal maintenance may include:
– Plants that do not require frequent pruning and do
not drop leaves, fruits, or dead flowers.
– Plants that, when mature, will not require extensive
pruning to keep them the proper size.
– Flowering shrubs rather than maintenance-requiring
annual and perennial flowers.
– Plants that naturally are disease- and insect-resistant
and have been proven to grow well in the locale.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Soil-Working Tools - Trowel
• A trowel is used for digging small
holes for planting bulbs, setting
out transplants, and similar tasks.
When purchasing a trowel,
check to make sure the
handle attaches firmly to
the blade & does not bend.
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By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Soil-Working Tools - Round-Point Shovel
• A round-point shovel is used for digging
larger holes such as for planting trees
and shrubs, and for other, general
garden digging.
When tip is pointed to make
it easy to push into the soil.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Soil-Working Tools - Hoe
• A hoe is used for shallow cultivation
of a previously prepared area and
will penetrate the soil up to 4” deep.
Frequently used in
vegetable gardening
to prepare rows
for seeding.
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Hoes are also used for weeding.
For this purpose, they should be
used with a scraping motion that
severs the weeds at the soil line.
If used in a cultivating manner,
additional weed seeds will be
exposed, germinate, and
intensify the weed problem.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Soil-Working Tools - Spading Fork
• A spading fork is used to move piles of leaves or
refuse, turn compost, and break up large clods in
the soil.
• A spading fork is more efficient
than a shovel for these purposes,
and moves a greater volume of
leaves or compost with each bite.
A spading fork is distinguished from a
pitchfork in that it has stronger, flat tines.
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By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Watering Equipment - Hose
• Many grades of garden hoses are available.
– Inexpensive plastic ones are stiff and develop
permanent kinks that restrict water flow.
– Reinforced plastic hoses remain pliable, do not kink,
and are lightweight.
– Rubber hoses are the most durable, but are heavy,
and expensive.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Watering Equipment - Pistol Nozzle
• A pistol nozzle provides on-off control
and can be adjusted to give water in
varying intensities, from a strong
forceful stream to a gentle mist.
Unfortunately, the directed
stream is too forceful for most
watering, and when emitted
at a lower volume, it sprays
in a circle and cannot be
directed accurately.
Some gardeners find the forceful stream
useful for washing off insects and the mist
ideal for watering seedlings.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Watering Equipment - Flaring Rose (Fan) Nozzle
• The flaring rose nozzle applies a large
volume of water without force and is
good for general overhead watering.
It often does not provide
an ON-OFF control.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Watering Equipment - Oscillating Sprinkler
• The oscillating sprinkler is the most adaptable to
general yard use and can be adjusted to cover
any size area by altering the water pressure
and the oscillation mechanism.
Because the head moves
back and forth, water is
applied over the area at
a slow rate, and runoff is
less likely than with a
non-oscillating type.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Watering Equipment - Watering Can
• Either plastic or galvanized metal watering cans
are acceptable.
– Although metal cans last longer, they are heavier
and more expensive than plastic cans.
• The can should contain a removable sprinkler
head so that either a fast volume or a slow
sprinkling of water can be applied.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Leaf Rakes
• A leaf rake can be made of lightweight
metal or bamboo, and has long
flexible teeth.
Used for raking
leaves, grass, and
other lightweight
materials.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Garden (Bow) Rakes
• A garden rake is generally metal, with
short, rigid, widely spaced teeth.
Used for smoothing the soil
surface in preparation for
seeding a lawn or vegetable
garden, removing thatch from
the lawn, and other purposes.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Fertilizing Equipment - Hose-End Sprayer
• The hose-end sprayer attaches to a hose and
automatically mixes any liquid concentrate
into the water at dilute strength.
It is used for fertilizing
lawns, flowers & other
shallow-rooted plants,
and for applying certain
insecticides.
It is not accurate
enough for most
pesticide applications.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Fertilizing Equipment - Root Feeder
• A root feeder works like a hose-end sprayer,
proportioning liquid fertilizer into irrigation water.
– It is equipped with a long, needlelike tube for injecting
the fertilizer into the root zone of shrubs and trees.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Pruning Tools - Hand Pruners
Hand Pruners are the
most frequently used
pruning tool.
They will cut branches
up to 3/4” in diameter.
It is important to never
twist hand pruners when
cutting, in an attempt to
cut a large branch.
This will pull the cutting
blades out of alignment
and ruin the pruners.
Figure 13-10 Pruning tools.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Pruning Tools - Lopping Shears
Hand Lopping Shears,
also called loppers, will
remove branches up to
about 1-1/2” diameter,
cleanly, in a single cut.
Loppers are used on
larger shrubs and trees.
Although simple lopping
shears are pictured,
lever-type shears, and
ratcheting shears require
less strength to use
Figure 13-10 Pruning tools.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Pruning Tools - Pruning Saw
A small, curved pruning
saw can remove larger
branches & is specially
designed specially to fit
in tight places.
It can substitute for
lopping shears, but
will require more labor.
Figure 13-10 Pruning tools.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Pruning Tools - Hedge Shears
Hedge Shears are
needed only if formal
hedges are to be
maintained
Figure 13-10 Pruning tools.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Power Equipment - Hedge Trimmer
• An electric hedge
trimmer is essential
to the maintenance
of long sections of
formal hedges.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Power Equipment - String Trimmer
• A string trimmer
(gas or electric)
is used to trim
grass around
trees & beside
paved areas.
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By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Power Equipment - Power Blower
• A power blower is a mainstay for the maintenance
of walkways & other paved areas.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Power Equipment - Edger
• An edger is used to maintain the clean line between
turf and nonturf areas.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Power Equipment - Chain Saw
• A chain saw may
be necessary to
remove large
shrubs and trees.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Power Equipment - Power Pruner
• The Power-Pruner, a gaspowered miniaturized chain
saw, allows one to reach &
remove larger branches
without climbing.
A much safer way to
remove high branches
than using a chain saw.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Safe Use of Power Equipment - General
• Wear approved eye protection such as safety
glasses, goggles, or a facemask.
– Objects struck by a lawn edger or string trimmer fly
great distances at great speeds and may cause injury.
• Survey the area and remove sticks, stones, etc.
– Keep people and pets at least 50 ft. away.
• Hearing protection may be necessary.
– Especially for equipment with a gas (two-stroke) engine.
• Wear protective clothing when using a string
trimmer to protect against flying debris.
– Long pants, gloves, dust mask & safety footwear.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Safe Use of Power Equipment - Edgers/Trimmers
• Lawn edgers should not be used in graveled areas.
• Use a string trimmer only for weeds and grass.
– It is not designed to trim shrubbery, climbing ivy, or
other greenery not at ground level.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Safe Use of Power Equipment - 2-cycle motors
• For 2-cycle gas/oil engine string trimmers, inspect
for loose fasteners, fuel leaks, or a
cracked or chipped string head before each use.
• Never start or run an engine inside a closed area.
– Fumes can cause asphyxiation and death.
• Follow fueling and premixing instructions carefully.
– Wipe up spilled fuel quickly and immediately replace
the fuel cap to prevent the possibility of fire.
• In some states, string trimmers have spark
arrestors to prevent accidental brush fires.
– If you are in a climate where seasonal fires are
common, be aware of this problem.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Safe Use of Power Equipment - Blowers
• A dust mask may be necessary, in addition to eye
and hearing protection, when using a blower.
– Point the blower away from people and pets, & reduce
blower speed temporarily for passing pedestrians.
• Before storing, let the blower engine cool until it is
only warm to the touch.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Safe Use of Power Equipment - Hedge Trimmers
• Always hold the hedge trimmers with both hands.
– Do not trim hedges higher than your shoulders, and
keep both feet on the ground.
– Do not overreach or cut from a ladder, as you may
lose your balance.
– Don’t wear loose clothing or jewelry, and keep long hair
pulled back when using a hedge trimmer.
– Keep your fingers away from the hedge trimmer blades.
– Never try to clean out trimmings from the blade while
the trimmer is running.
• Before removing something caught or jammed in the blades
of the trimmer, turn the off-on switch to the “off” position and
remove the spark plug wire.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Safe Use of Power Equipment - Chainsaws
• The most dangerous hazard when operating a
chain saw is kickback, which can make the user
temporarily lose control of the saw.
• Kickback is caused by the unexpected forceful
pushing backward of the saw while running, due to
the chain hitting an obstacle, and stopping abruptly.
– Some chain saws have an antikickback device on the
tip of the guide bar.
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By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Safe Use of Power Equipment - Chainsaws
• General cutting procedures:
– Never cut with the tip of the guide bar.
– Always keep your body away from the line of cut.
– Always cut with the left arm straight.
• If you are right-handed.
– Always cut with a firm grip, with thumbs and fingers
around the handle. straight.
• Wear nonslip rubber or leather gloves for better grip.
– Bring the saw to full speed before letting the chain touch
the wood, to partially prevent “bucking” or kickback.
– Once the cut is started, cut at a steady speed & pressure.
• To avoid being pulled off-balance, do not speed up or slow
down the chain while cutting.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Safe Use of Power Equipment - Chainsaws
• General cutting procedures:
– When felling a tree, plan a retreat from the path of
fall before you start cutting.
– When cutting a tree limb under tension, be alert that
the limb may spring back when the tension is released.
– Do not cut from a ladder; it is extremely dangerous.
• Use a pole pruner instead.
– Keep the saw regularly serviced.
• Professional personnel should perform all service work
other than that specified in the owner’s manual.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Purposes of Pruning
• Most people use pruning for size control—to keep
plants from growing over windows or walkways, etc.
– Not much pruning should be necessary plants are
selected with mature size in mind, and positioned with
forethought as to obstructions they might later create.
• Plant health is maintained or improved by removing
dead branches and diseased limbs.
– Pruning trees when young encourages strong branch
structure, decreasing chances of them storm breakage.
• Removing scraggly branches, clipping off dead
flowers, and encouraging bushy, compact growth
all improve plant appearance.
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By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Pruning Young Trees
Pruning trees at transplant, and
the first few years greatly affects
strength & health in later life.
In this early period, the tree
develops main branches that
form the support structure
for the foliage.
Most trees have a central leader,
a main upright shoot (leader).
Side branches are called scaffold
branches.
Figure 13-17 A well-shaped tree with a central leader form. Note
the even spacing of the scaffold branches down the trunk & wide
branch angles. Drawing by Bethany Layport.
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By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Pruning Young Trees
Occasionally two leaders
develop, causing a fork.
The angle between the two
leaders is a potential weak
point of the tree.
As each leader increases in
diameter, it exerts pressure
against the other at the base.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Pruning Young Trees
Conditions conducive to
splitting of the trunk will
eventually develop, and
in a wind storm, the weight
of the leaders can pull
the trunk apart.
On a double-leader, the
weaker of the two leaders
is removed while the tree
is young.
The remaining one will
develop normally.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Pruning Young Trees
Removal of a double leader
is usually done at the nursery,
but removal of excess scaffold
branches is usually necessary.
A young tree should ideally have
only a few branches, which are
spaced widely & evenly along
the trunk.
Numerous small branches are
undesirable, as they enlarge
and crowd each other as the
tree grows.
Scaffold branches should be
selected so that they are evenly
spaced up the trunk, not growing
directly above one another.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Pruning Young Trees
Branches growing from the trunk
at an angle approaching 90°are
preferred, as they are stronger,
though many trees have narrowangled branches when young.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Pruning Young Trees
When a double leader or extra branch
is removed, the branch always should
be cut just beyond the bark ridge or
collar, also called the shoulder ring.
This ridge is an area of raised bark or
a ring that surrounds the point at which
the branch grows from the trunk.
It contains cells that are a barrier to
infection of the cut and proliferate
rapidly to close the wound.
Figure 13-18 Bark ridges where healing will occur.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Pruning Young Trees
• Topping is a practice used by some gardeners in
hopes of forming a tree that is full-headed & dense.
– The central leader is removed.
– Side branches below the cut grow rapidly, and the
ultimate effect is a unnatural-looking, flat-headed
tree, with weak branch crotches.
• Topping is not recommended except for modifiedcentral-leader-trained fruit trees.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Pruning Young Trees
• When a tree is lion tailed, leaves & smaller branches
in the center are pruned off, leaving the inner parts
of the tree stripped bare.
– This gives an unnatural form, with tufts of leaves at
the branch tips, like the brush at the tip of a lion’s tail.
• Lion Tailing is also not recommended, because it:
– Weakens the larger branches.
– Stimulates excess new growth in the inner portion
of the tree
– Allow sunlight into the center, which can sunscald bark.
– Alters the foliage balance, which can compromise energy
reserves, needed for future growth.
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By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Pruning Young Trees
• Limbing up is the removal of branches positioned
too low on the trunk, causing hazard/inconvenience.
– Necessary, as the height at which a branch originates
is the height at which it remains, permanently.
• The trunk does not lengthen & elevate branches.
• Limbing up should be delayed for 3 to 4 years after
planting, as removal of foliage from a young tree
will slow its growth and weaken the trunk.
– Once the tree is established, one or two branches can
be removed
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Pruning Young Trees
• Desuckering is the removal of shoots that grow from
the base or lower trunk of trees.
– If a tree is grafted, they often grow from vigorous rootstock.
– Some buds are located too far from auxin-manufacturing
buds to be reached by the dormancy hormone.
• Such branches, called suckers, or watersprouts,
should be removed by hand pruners as they appear.
– If left in place, they give an unkempt appearance, and
use up energy that should be diverted to top growth.
• They are easy to locate because of their vigorous
vertical growth, for, if left, they grow until they cross
& rub against scaffold branches.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Mature Trees
• A tree pruned properly
when young should
need little pruning
when mature.
– Desuckering may be
necessary, along with
removal of branches
broken by wind or
growing toward the
center of the tree.
Figure 13-19 Branches that begin to grow inward
toward the center of the tree should be cut out,
as shown. Drawing by Bethany Layport.
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By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Mature Trees
Small branches growing close
together may rub one another
Smaller or more poorly positioned
ones should be cut back to their
parent branches to avoid injury to
the bark and grafting together of
the limbs.
Figure 13-20 The vertical branch on the
right side of the photo should be removed.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Responses of Trees to Branch Removal
• Wood and bark are made of living, dying, and dead
cells with different functions.
• The living parts of wood and bark are connected
in a network called the symplast.
– Symplast tissue allows the tree to actively defend
itself against microorganisms.
– When it dies in the natural course of growth of the tree,
it becomes protective wood, such as heartwood that
has a static protective function.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Responses of Trees to Branch Removal
• Discolored wood is frequently infected by nondecay-causing fungi.
– In the early stages, discolored wood is protective,
but later, as more organisms infect it, the wood may
lose its protective ability.
• It can develop soft rot and the secondary layer of
wood can become infected.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Responses of Trees to Branch Removal
• Previous pruning concepts involved the principle
that tree wounds “heal.”
• To heal most quickly, it was believed necessary to
expose as little heartwood as possible to invasion
via air by microorganisms.
– Wound paints were recommended to seal the wood and
theoretically prevent entry of these organisms.
• Such paints are ineffective as sealants, & may inhibit healing.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Responses of Trees to Branch Removal
• It is now known that trees react by strengthening
old barriers to decay, or forming new barriers.
– These barriers enable the tree to resist decay microorganisms for a longer time, but not indefinitely.
– A tree survives as long as it can compartmentalize
an infection, or restrict spread to a limited volume.
• The tree wound cannot be considered “healing,”
but rather the tree is compartmentalizing the
infection and growing new tissues to counteract
detrimental effects of decay microorganisms.
• This is conceptualized in a model called CODIT
– An acronym for Compartmentalization of Decay in Trees.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Responses of Trees to Branch Removal - CODIT
• Decay is defined as the process where ordered
wood becomes disordered and no longer functions.
– It becomes so depleted of essential elements that few
microorganisms will grow in it—a protective function.
• As microorganisms invade the trunk via branch
openings, the tree may compartmentalize the
infecting microorganisms.
– Over time the trunk wood walls off more symplast, and
space for storage of energy reserve is also walled off.
• Root-rotting fungi slowly kills a tree by this method.
– Carbohydrate storage space is continually lost, energy
storage capacity decreases, as does a tree’s ability to
defend itself.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Responses of Trees to Branch Removal
• Occasionally, large branches may need to be
removed because of disease, incorrect pruning
when young, or other reasons.
– Such branches, frequently heavy, can break & rip down
the trunk while being sawed off.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Responses of Trees to Branch Removal
• The three-cut pruning method is recommended
for removing branches more than 2” in diameter.
– The first cut is made under the branch about 1 ft. from
the trunk, and goes halfway through the branch.
Figure 13-21 The three-cut pruning method for removing large
branches, which prevents the branch from tearing down the trunk.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Responses of Trees to Branch Removal
• The three-cut pruning method is recommended
for removing branches more than 2” in diameter.
– The second cut is made farther out on the branch and
cuts completely through and removes the branch.
Figure 13-21 The three-cut pruning method for removing large
branches, which prevents the branch from tearing down the trunk.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Responses of Trees to Branch Removal
• The three-cut pruning method is recommended
for removing branches more than 2” in diameter.
– The third cut removes the stub down to the bark ridge,
leaving it intact.
Figure 13-21 The three-cut pruning method for removing large
branches, which prevents the branch from tearing down the trunk.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
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© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Responses of Trees to Branch Removal
• If necessary to remove a
stub left due to improper
pruning in past years,
leave the branch collar.
Only remove the part of the
stub extending beyond the
branch collar, even though
this may leave a considerable
amount of stub.
The collar is like the bark ridge,
in that it prevents entrance of
infection.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Responses of Trees to Branch Removal
• A girdling root results from incorrect initial planting.
– If roots are not spread out in the hole, they can enlarge
& press against the trunk at, or just below, ground level.
– The resulting pressure halts the flow of water & nutrients
in the trunk, and eventually can kill that side of the tree.
Signs of damage include flattening
of the trunk on one side & dropping
of the leaves on the affected side
earlier in fall, by deciduous species.
The only cure for a girdling
root is to cut it away with a
chisel or hatchet.
Figure 13-22 A girdling root on a young tree.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Responses of Trees to Branch Removal
• Many patio trees, weeping
trees & some larger shade
trees like elm do not have
a central leader naturally.
– Such trees may split into two
leaders, forming a vase shape,
or have all branches arising at
one point on the trunk.
Pruning should include only
desuckering and removal of
crossing & inward-growing
branches.
Figure 13-23 Vase-shaped tree.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Responses of Trees to Branch Removal
• Crown Reduction (Drop-Crotch Pruning)—when a
tree is mistakenly planted where it will not have
adequate growing room, it may be necessary to
lower or drop the crown height.
– Especially trees under power lines.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Responses of Trees to Branch Removal
• The tallest terminal
(vertical) branches are
cut back to a large lateral
(sideways-growing)
branch.
– This encourages the tree
to grow outward rather
than upward.
Figure 13-24 Branches shown in gray will be
removed to lateral branches to reduce height.
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Diameter of the lateral branch
to which the terminal branch is
removed must be at least onethird the diameter of the terminal
branch being cut back.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Responses of Trees to Branch Removal
• Pollarding is a technique for
pruning deciduous trees, a
common practice in certain
areas of the country.
– It restricts the height of the tree,
and usually creates a denser
head of foliage than the species
normally would have.
– Not be confused with topping,
which is cutting main branches
off a tree, to restrict its height,
or make the crown fuller.
Topping is never an approved practice.
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Figure 13-25 A row of pollarded trees
in early spring as growth is just starting.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Responses of Trees to Branch Removal
• Pollarded trees have been a part of history for
over 1500 years.
– To encourage production of large numbers of whiplike
limbs used for animal food, fencing, or firewood.
– It is currently used for a specialized decorative effect
in a formal setting or to help keep a tree in a compact
and in manageable form.
• Pollarding must be done annually, only on certain
species & requires a tree maintenance person.
– Most people feel the tree is unattractive when dormant.
– In modern practice, pollarding is usually started after
the owner notices the tree is beginning to be too large
for the area where it was planted.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Responses of Trees to Branch Removal
• The ultimate objective of pollarding is to develop
swollen limb ends of multiple branch collars.
– This maintains structure & health while limiting size.
• When the tree is dormant, the main branches
are cut back to a side branch at least one-third
the diameter of the main branch.
– The initial cut should be slanting, and protect the
side branch’s collar and not cross the bark ridge.
– Heads should be positioned not more than one-third
the length along an original branch.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Responses of Trees to Branch Removal
• When the tree begins to grow in spring, buds will
sprout below each cut, producing vigorous
watersprouts and creating a dense foliage mass.
– After 1 or 2 years, the smaller branch can be removed,
as new sprouts should have formed at the wound.
• Sprouts & branches should be cut back to the
basal branch collar, not into the branch wood.
– Stubs should not be left when sprouts are removed.
– Sprouts should be pruned back to just beyond the
branch collar.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Responses of Trees to Branch Removal
• Pines are the most familiar needle evergreens.
– All characterized by a pyramidal, or “Christmas tree,”
form with a central leader.
• Evergreens generally do not require pruning,
except to remove broken or dead branches and
occasionally eliminate a double leader.
– They may be limbed up above eye level if necessary.
• Evergreens do not branch if cut back to old wood—
pruning into woody portions has permanent effects.
– The only pruning that can be used to limit size or make
the foliage thicker is the removal of some of the new
growth, or candles while the tree still is immature.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Responses of Trees to Branch Removal
Breaking out a portion of
the center candle and/or
side candles will cause
the growth to become
shorter and fuller.
Figure 13-26 Pruning a needle evergreen
by breaking out the unexpanded candles.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Pruning Shrubs
• To preserve their natural appearance, most shrubs
are pruned by either of two pruning methods.
– Thinning or heading back.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Pruning Shrubs - Thinning
• Shrubs are composed clumps of woody stems, or
one or more short trunks coming out of the ground.
– As oldest stems age & lengthen, they tend to shade out
bottom foliage, and the shrub becomes bare at the base.
– Thinning consists of removing the oldest stems at ground
level, shortening the shrub, encouraging new shoots to
grow and refoliate the bottom.
Thinning can be done with
hand pruners, if stems are
small, or with loppers, if the
shrub is heavily overgrown
with large stems.
Figure 13-27 Pruning a shrub by thinning.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Pruning Shrubs - Heading Back
• Heading back is done with hand pruners to remove
straggly growth or to limit size.
– It consists of cutting twigs or small branches back to a
point where the cut is hidden by the remaining foliage.
Figure 13-28 Pruning a shrub to
increase its density by heading back.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Pruning Shrubs - Heading Back
If possible, stems should
be cut back to just above
an outward-pointing bud
or branch.
This will encourage new
growth to develop outward
and eliminate crossing
branches.
Figure 13-29 Pruning to an outward-pointing bud.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Pruning Shrubs - Renewal Pruning
• Renewal pruning, to rejuvenate/shorten overgrown
shrubs, is done in early spring, before new growth.
– Consists of cutting back all branches to stubs 2 - 3” long.
• This forces new growth from dormant buds on the
stubs, which can be pruned as needed.
– By heading back and thinning to maintain proper size.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Pruning Shrubs - Renewal Pruning
• Renewal pruning is a drastic measure and will
make the plant unsightly for at least one season.
– As an alternative, half the branches can be removed
the first year and the remainder the second year.
Figure 13-30 Renewal pruning.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Pruning Shrubs - Hedges
• Natural hedges are lines of shrubs planted close
together, to create a thick mass of unpruned foliage.
– Basically the same as for other shrubs.
• Formal hedges are pruned to a specific shape and
require frequent cutting to keep a neat appearance.
– Shearing bi-weekly during the growing season is typical.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Pruning Shrubs - Hedges
• Selection of correct hedge shape is very important.
– Pruning the top narrower than, or at the same width as,
the bottom allows plants to remain full & leafy to the base.
– Pruning narrow at the base & wide at the top is incorrect,
as it shades the lower portions, which drop their leaves.
Figure 13-31 Shapes for formal hedges.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Pruning Groundcovers
• Most groundcovers do not require regular pruning
to improve their appearance or health.
– Occasionally an older bed of groundcover will develop
long, leafless stems, improved by renewal pruning.
• If the area is small, it can be clipped back severely
with hand pruners, and hedge shears can be used
on woody groundcovers.
• A lawnmower set to cut as far from the ground as
possible can be used for large areas during the
period of active growth.
– While unsightly at first, the area will usually refoliate
in 2 to 3 months.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Pruning Groundcovers - Junipers
Shrub types such as
junipers may require
heading back to control
spread.
Figure 13-32 Heading back a groundcover
juniper to control its spread.
(a) Before pruning. (above)
(b) After pruning. (right)
Note how the branches are layered with
longer branches on the bottom to prevent
shading out & death of the base of the plant.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Timing Pruning
• The time of year at which maintenance pruning
takes place will not affect the health of a plant,
but early spring is traditional for several reasons.
– It is easier to determine which parts of deciduous
plants to remove if the branch structure is not
obscured by leaves.
– By pruning before new growth starts, the growing
direction of new shoots can be controlled.
• Summer/fall pruning removes poorly placed shoots
produced that season.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Timing Pruning
• Exceptions to the early spring recommendation:
– If spring-blooming shrubs are pruned early in the year,
some of flower buds already formed will be cut off.
– Pruning deciduous trees that have sap flow in early
spring will cause wounds to will exude sap liberally.
• This will not injure the tree seriously, but it is unsightly
and can be avoided by pruning later in the year.
• Light pruning two or three times annually is
preferable to severe pruning once a year in
order to maintain an attractive landscape.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Special Shrub-Pruning Techniques - Espalier
• Espalier is stylized training of a shrub or tree, flat
against a wall or trellis.
– Usually in a symmetrical branching pattern.
• Not all plants can be adapted to this type of pruning.
– Consult references or a nursery worker before espaliering.
• Espalier must be started when a plant is small.
– The trunk is tied to the trellis & sites where future
branches are desired are selected.
– Buds or branches closest to these points are tied to the
trellis & all others are removed to achieves desired shape.
– Annual pruning is required to remove stray growth,
and keep the plant from outgrowing the trellis.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Special Shrub-Pruning Techniques - Topiary
• Shrubs & small trees trained in
pompoms or animal shapes are
examples of topiary pruning.
– A novelty pruning style, originated
in formal European gardens.
Topiary can be thought
of as a combination of
a formal hedge and an
espalier.
Figure 13-33 Topiary pruned
shrub used as an accent.
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PRUNING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Special Shrub-Pruning Techniques - Topiary
Branches are left at selected locations
on the trunk, and sheared repeatedly
to encourage fullness.
A topiary should be started while a plant
is young, shaping it gradually to its final
form over several years.
One or two topiary plants are sufficient
to enhance any landscape.
They can be used effectively in Oriental
or modern landscapes and can be
purchased pretrained at garden centers.
Figure 13-33 Topiary pruned
shrub used as an accent.
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WATERING
Watering Frequency
• The goal of watering is to replenish the moisture in
the soil surrounding plant roots.
– Correct watering of shrubs should give a slow flow
of water at the base of the plant for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Trees should be watered deeply over the entire
area covered by the branches.
– Roots will be growing throughout the area.
• Established plants, accustomed to sprinkler
irrigation are an exception to the deep soaking rule.
– The root system of these plants will be shallow, and the
plants will need to be maintained with sprinkler irrigation.
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WATERING
Watering Frequency
• Frequency with which a plant should be watered
depends on age, drought tolerance, and ability
of the soil to retain moisture.
• More newly transplanted trees and shrubs die from
lack of water than from any other cause.
– Watering every 7 to 10 days for the first year and
every 2 weeks the second year is advisable.
– After that, irrigation will be needed only during periods
of drought lasting more than 3 or 4 weeks.
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WATERING
Watering Frequency
• Drought tolerance varies greatly among species.
– Some extract minute quantities of water in the soil,
where others in identical conditions would wilt, to the
point of death.
• Cacti and succulents are the best-known examples
of drought-tolerant plants.
– Trees with taproots and shrubs native to arid climates
are similarly drought-tolerant.
– They can be used to create a low-maintenance and
ecologically sound landscape where natural rainfall
is scarce.
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WATERING
Watering Frequency
• Proportions of sand & clay in a soil greatly affect
its ability to retain moisture, and consequently
affect the watering frequency.
– Soils containing a large percentage of clay will be the
most water-retaining.
– Loams are intermediate, and sandy soils least able to
hold water.
• A sandy soil may need watering twice as frequently
as a clay, and its moisture-holding capacity can be
improved greatly by adding organic matter.
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WATERING
Watering Techniques - Sprinklers
• Sprinklers were the main method of irrigation used
for many years in areas lacking regular rainfall.
– Their main disadvantage is that they wet all the soil
instead of only that which contains plant roots.
– They also waste water by evaporation from the droplets
as they pass through the air.
• Watering by sprinkler can be recommended only
for groundcover, lawns, and densely planted areas.
• Sprinkler irrigation should not be discontinued on
landscapes established by this watering method.
– The plant root systems will have spread throughout the
sprinkler pattern area.
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WATERING
Watering Techniques - Hand Watering
• In landscapes where supplemental watering seldom
is required, hand watering with a hose is practical.
– The hose can be adjusted to low pressure & moved from
plant to plant every half-hour, or the watering basin made
at planting can be filled several times.
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WATERING
Watering Techniques - Leaching
• Leaching is application of a large volume of water
to the soil for the purpose of flushing accumulated
minerals or fertilizer from the soil.
– Sometimes necessary because of an excess mineral
concentration in the soil.
• One way of leaching is to water a plant deeply, wait
a few hours, and repeat several more times.
– Another method is to leave a hose trickling at the base
of the plant for half a day or so, which uses more water.
• General symptoms calling for leaching are slowed
growth, yellowing of foliage, and sometimes wilting.
– Even when the soil is moist.
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WATERING
Watering Techniques - Drip or Trickle
• Drip or trickle irrigation advantages include low
cost, ease of installation & conservation of water.
– Since it applies water only at one spot, germination and
growth of weeds are inhibited—an indirect advantage.
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WATERING
Watering Techniques - Drip or Trickle
• A typical drip system consists of five major parts:
– A filter, a pressure regulator, 1/2” to 3/4” diameter flexible
tubing, and 3/8” diameter microtubing and emitters.
• Water, filtered of particulates, passes through the
regulator to lower pressure to about 10% of normal.
– Short lengths of the microtubing inserted into the main
lines carry water to emitters at each plant.
– The “drip” & “trickle” names come from the slow flow
of water from each microtube—about 1 gal/hour.
• Unlike a sprinkler system, no digging is needed to
install a drip irrigation system.
– Main lines are laid on top of the ground, covered by mulch.
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WATERING
Watering Techniques - Drip or Trickle
• Easy to install, trickle irrigation needs no threaded or
glued connections, as it operates at low pressure.
– Splices are held by self-sealing plastic connectors.
Microtubes are inserted
into the main line by simply
making a hole and pushing
in the microtube until it fits
snugly.
Figure 13-34
Putting together a trickle irrigation
system. Note the small microtubes
that will carry water to each plant.
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WATERING
Watering Techniques - Drip or Trickle
• A main disadvantage of drip watering is a tendency
of microtubes to clog with mineral deposits from the
water, soil, or algae.
– Usually remedied by flushing periodically at high pressure.
Drip systems are used most
often on tree & shrub plantings,
because each individual plant
can have its own microtube.
The system can be adapted
to water groundcover & grass
areas by using microsprinkler
heads that spray over a limited
radius.
Figure 13-35 A microsprinkler
head as seen from above.
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WATERING
Water Conservation
• Even when water is abundant, conserving water for
irrigating landscape plants should be considered.
– There never is enough of this valuable natural resource
to justify thoughtless use.
• Be cautious when using automatic timing devices.
– They do not take weather conditions into account, and
may apply water in a rainstorm.
• Frequent checks for water runoff will prevent one
of the most common means of wasting water.
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WATERING
Water Conservation
• Improvement of Water-Holding Capacity.
– If natural soil in an area has poor water-holding capacity,
it may be improved with the addition of organic matter.
• Prevention of Evaporation.
– Much water loss from plantings is by evaporation from the
soil, which can be slowed by use of mulch, and watering
in the early morning when the temperature is lowest.
• Use of Proper Irrigation Techniques/Equipment.
– Trickle for trees and shrubs.
– Sprinkler for lawns & groundcover.
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FERTILIZING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Organic Fertilizers
• When buying fertilizer, find products that contain
“natural,” organic, or slow-release ingredients.
– Improperly applied traditional fertilizers will damage
soil life essential for healthy soils & root systems.
• Natural source fertilizer feeds plants slowly
& evenly, resulting in healthier plants.
– Strong root systems, without excessive growth.
• Slow-release fertilizers often reduce concentration
of nutrient run-off into ground and surface waters.
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FERTILIZING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Organic Fertilizers
• Many homeowners never fertilize trees and shrubs.
– Assuming fertilizers are mainly for vegetables & lawns.
• A newly installed landscape, fertilized regularly
will grow much faster than an unfertilized one.
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FERTILIZING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Timing of Fertilizer Applications
• The time of year when fertilizer should be applied
varies with climate, but generally restricted to just
before, or while a plant is actively growing.
– In most parts of the country, fertilizer is applied annually
in spring, so nutrients will be available for the new growth.
• For faster growth, fertilizer could be applied two or
three times during the growing season.
– For example, on April 1, May 15, and July 1.
• In mild climates such as those found in Florida and
parts of California, plants grow continuously.
– Fertilizer needs to be applied every 2 to 3 months through
the year to replenish the nutrients absorbed by the plants.
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FERTILIZING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Rates of Fertilizer Application - Trees
• Generally speaking, established trees do not need
to be fertilized with phosphorous or potassium.
– Unless determined that soil is deficient in these nutrients.
• Their main requirement is nitrogen, applied on a
yearly basis by drill-hole or surface application.
– Yearly amount of fertilizer recommended for trees is
about 6 lb actual nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft under the
branches.
– Not critical, provided it falls within a reasonable range.
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FERTILIZING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Rates of Fertilizer Application - Shrubs
• Shrubs, evergreen or deciduous, are fertilized in
most circumstances at 2 to 4 lb nitrogen annually
per 100 square feet of bed area per year.
– Using the surface application method.
• The fertilizer can be the same as is used for trees,
and can be split into two applications if desired.
– The fertilizer should be watered in after it is applied.
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FERTILIZING LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Rates of Fertilizer Application - Groundcover
• Groundcover plants will benefit from yearly
fertilization in spring using a surface application.
– 2-4 lb per 1,000 square feet, watered thoroughly
afterward is advisable
– Either a balanced or a high-nitrogen fertilizer is
acceptable.
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WEED CONTROL
• Weed control is essential, whether chemical or
cultural.
– Weeds growing in a landscape planting can detract
seriously from its appearance.
– They also compete for available light, water, and nutrition,
and will thrive at the expense of the desirable plants.
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WEED CONTROL
Cultural Weed Control
• Cultural weed control consists of hand pulling,
cultivating with a hoe, using ornamental plants
competitively, barriers, mulching, and solarization.
• Hand pulling and cultivation are only effective for
controlling annual weeds.
– Perennial weeds often break off at the soil line, and grow
back from the roots.
• Cultivation exposes fresh soil & additional weed
seeds to favorable germination conditions.
– Necessitates repeating cultivation several times a season.
• Mulching is more practical & labor-saving over a
long period.
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WEED CONTROL
Cultural Weed Control
• Using ornamental plants competitively can also
reduce weed problems.
– Planting ornamentals thickly, and using groundcovers
on bare soil areas, deny weeds an opportunity to establish.
• They will be crowded out by the desirable plants.
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WEED CONTROL
Cultural Weed Control
• A barrier of plastic, metal, or concrete can prevent
grass from spreading into flower beds and other
landscaped areas.
– It can also prevent grass from reaching the trunk of a
tree & eliminate nicking the trunk with a mower while
cutting the lawn.
Figure 13-36 Plastic edging keeping
grass from invading groundcover bed.
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WEED CONTROL
Mulching
• Mulching is the third cultural weed control.
– A layer of mulch excludes light from the soil, checking
the growth of both seeds and existing small weeds.
– A mulch can be any material used to cover the soil
surface.
• Mulch is a layer of material such as shredded fall
leaves, bark chips, compost, or grass clippings,
spread around your plants.
• Mulching plants provides a decorative background
for plants, conserves soil moisture, and maintains
the soil at an even temperature.
– Since it decays in place—it recycles itself!
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WEED CONTROL
Mulching
• You can “grasscycle” a lawn by leaving the
clippings on the lawn when mowing.
– The clippings rot and release fertility into the soil to feed
the grass, reducing fertilizer needs by 25 - 50 percent.
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WEED CONTROL
Mulching
• Solarization consists of covering well-prepared soil
with a thin layer of clear plastic that is left in place
for several weeks during warm weather.
– Useful technique for nematode, weed & soil pest control,
and may favor development of heat-tolerant beneficial
organisms.
• For solarization to be successful, the soil must
be prepared as for a fine seedbed.
– Clods must be broken up, soil thoroughly moistened, and
tightly covered with thin, clear plastic for several weeks.
– The moist-heating process kills many soil pests and can
give excellent weed control, though large-seeded weeds
may not be controlled completely.
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WEED CONTROL
Mulching - Organic Mulches
• The most popular organic
(plant-derived) mulches
used in landscape plantings
are bark or wood, shredded
or in chunks, and pine straw.
Applied 2 to 3” thick throughout shrub
beds & under trees, they give these
areas a neat, rustic appearance.
Being organic, they decompose slowly
over a number of years & need renewal
occasionally by adding a fresh layer to
the existing mulch.
Figures 13-38 & 39 Shredded wood (top) and chunk wood (bottom) mulches.
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WEED CONTROL
Mulching - Organic Mulches
• Organic mulches useful for the landscape are not
limited to bark.
– Rice & cocoa bean hulls, pine needles, and oak leaves are
attractive, but available in only a few areas of the country.
• Corncobs, compost, and grass clippings are also
effective, but generally considered unattractive
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
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WEED CONTROL
Mulching - Rock Mulches
• Rock mulches can be considered permanent
because they do not decompose.
– Included are stone materials such as lava rock, marble
chips, smooth stones, and coarse or smooth pebbles
Because rock mulches
gradually sink into soil,
they should be applied
over plastic or landscape
fabric.
Figure 13-39
Lava rock mulch.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
WEED CONTROL
Mulching - Rock Mulches
• The disadvantage of rock mulches is that they must
be removed & replaced if bed replanting is required.
Figure 13-40 Marble chip mulch.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
Figure 13-41 Flat stone river rock mulch.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
WEED CONTROL
Mulching - Synthetic Mulches
• Plastic sheet mulch and landscape fabric are most
effective, as they are impervious to weed growth.
– Unattractive for use in landscape plantings, they can
be covered with a decorative layer of bark or stone.
– They will also be concealed when used with groundcover
shrubs, which spread & hide the material after planting.
• Plastic and landscape fabric generally come in rolls
of varying widths and are rolled onto the area to be
planted with edges overlapping.
– Plants are transplanted into slits cut through the material,
and edges are covered with soil to hold them firmly in
place in case of wind.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
WEED CONTROL
Mulching - Synthetic Mulches
• Water will run off plastic during rainfall and be
diverted through the holes to the plants.
– If plastic wider than 3 ft. is used, additional holes
should be made for water penetration into the soil.
• There is no such problem of water penetration
with a landscape fabric, which is an advantage.
– The fabric is also much less likely to tear, which
would permit weed growth through the cut.
– For these reasons landscape fabrics are becoming
more popular than plastic, in spite of higher cost.
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
END OF
CHAPTER
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Practical Horticulture 7th edition
By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr.
© 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458