KELLY TREE FARM

PLANTING AND CARE INSTRUCTIONS

*MOST IMPORTANT: KEEP ROOTS MOIST, COOL AND OUT OF THE SUN AND PLANT AT PROPER DEPTH*

SEEDLINGS OR TRANSPLANTS - Roots in plastic bags

1.  Keep roots damp, but not wet-tops dry.

2.  Check for moisture droplets on inside of bag, if present, moisture is adequate for short term storage, otherwise add small amounts of water.

3.  Keep trees at 34-40 degrees until planted if possible or plant within 7-10 days without cold storage, plant at proper depth by looking for change of color on stem of plant just above roots, this is the soil line.

4.  These trees can be watered every 10 days to increase survival rate, but most important is to control competing vegetation around plants.

5.  For longer storage keep out of direct sunlight, store on a cement floor under a tarp and freeze gallon milk jugs of ice and put in box to keep cool. 

POTTED OR BAGGED TREES

1.  Potted - Gently remove tree, by turning pot over and sliding out tree, do not break up soil.  Make four vertical cuts on sides one inch deep and one X cut one inch deep across the bottom of soil ball.  Use the point of knife and “pull” the roots loose from sides and bottom of where the pot side and bottom was.  Plant at same depth to one inch deeper as in pot, top lateral roots must be within one inch of soil surface.  Set on firm base with no loose soil under plant.  Water plants after planting and apply proper herbicide 10 days after planting.  We recommend no mulch unless you have a very sandy soil.  Keep ground bare 12 inches out from dripline for 5 years for best growth rate.

2.  Bagged: - Cut and completely remove bag, may have to use pliers to pull off bag.  Plant with soil no more than 1 inch above root ball, top lateral roots must be within 1 inch of soil surface.  Set on firm base with no loose soil under tree.  Water tree after planting and apply proper herbicide 10 days after planting.  We recommend no mulch unless you have a very sandy soil.  Keep ground bare 12 inches out from dripline for 5 years for best growth rate.

3.  Bagged and Potted - Firm soil around ball, do not stomp on top of ball.  Water at once and every 10 days up-to September 15 if soaking rains do not occur.  Most important to control competing vegetation (grass-weeds) within 2 ft of tree with light cultivation, light mulch, or our favorite is chemical herbicide.

4.  After the first year we do not recommend that you water the trees as this keeps the roots from growing out in a normal rainfall year.  If there is a drought the second year it is OK to water well about every 10 days.

LARGE BARE ROOT SHADE TREES:

1.  Trim roots and tops lightly if not already done.

2.  Plant at proper depth - Look for bark color change just above roots, this is the soil line, or if grafted, the “knot” just above the roots should be at ground level.

3.  Allow roots to spread out naturally, fill and firm soil around the roots.

4.  Water these trees every 10 days up-to September 15 if soaking rains do not occur.  Do not water second year in a normal year but if there is a drought then  water about 5 gallons every 10 days, allowing the water to soak in.

PLANTING  AUST. WILLOW, POPULAR, COTTONWOOD- CUTTINGS OR POTTED:

1.  Place cuttings in bucket of water with buds pointing up for one week.

2.  Plant cuttings with 2 inches of the top sticking out of ground.

3.  On potted willows, remove pot and plant 12 inches deeper than the top of the pot, if possible.  No competition from grass or weeds is needed for survival, we recommend chemical herbicide for best growth results.

WEED & ANIMAL CONTROL FOR ALL NEWLY PLANTED TREES / SHRUBS:

1.  Keep area around trees (2 feet from stem) free of all vegetation first 3 years of life is very important especially for evergreens.  The use of herbicides such as roundup and pendulum is our first choice,  mulch, ground cloth, or a hoe also works.  Austrees are sensitive to roundup, keep off stems. Do not use plastic.

2.  Deer and rabbits, mice and gofers must be controlled in any planting.  In Iowa it is legal to remove any destructive state animal if you have notified the DNR and documented the damage to your private property. 

3.  Do not let anyone hunt or trap coyotes, foxes or badgers in your tree planting they are your friends to control mice, gofers, rabbits and deer.

4.  Never fertilize any newly planted tree, in Iowa or the midwest with normal topsoil, few trees ever need fertilizer.

5.  Never use a weed whipper to control vegetation around your trees, it will remove the bark and kill the trees.  We use herbicides for this job.

6.  Do not use 2-4-D, Tordon, or similar chemicals around or on growing trees.  These herbicides will kill trees and shrubs.

                                    WARRANTEE ON TREES AND SHRUBS:

1.  All of our bare root trees and shrubs less than 5ft tall have no warrantee; there are just too many variables to survival on these trees and shrubs.

2.  On our larger bare root trees, potted trees and B&B trees do carry a warrantee.  Windbreak trees carry a warrantee that says we will replace or refund up to 10 percent of the trees lost, if you are losing more than that something else is wrong.

3. We do not warrantee trees that die from losses beyond our control such as: Droughts, Floods, Weather, Animals (above and below ground) lawn mowers, neglect, (no water or no weed control) planting to deep or in subsoil, winter damage or any other cause we have no control over.  We can not guarantee plants sent threw the mail or UPS.

4.  For trees to be eligible for warrantee replacement we must receive notification by October 1st in the year they are planted, and trees must be returned with roots attached.  Warrantee does not include the cost of shipping and planting and is limited to one replacement tree per location.

OTHER QUESTIONS ??    Call us we will be happy to explain.

KELLY TREE FARM

191 Quincy Ave.  CLARENCE,  IOWA  52216  PH (563) 452-4300

www.kellytreefarm.com,  www.windbreaktrees.com,  E-mail--ktf@netins.net