subject: Ball And Burlap Planting - Part2 - Pre-digging Holes And Soil Types [print this page] We want to cover the two main advantages pre-digging the holes for your Cryptomeria Yoshino trees, including how that effects productivity and how pre-digging can let you know if soil drainage is adequate. We also cover two disadvantages of pre-digging, including the extra work to clean out holes if it rains hard, and risk of some-one falling in an open hole overnight. We also cover some different soil types and how that effects watering schedule, from white sand all the way to the worst of all, pipe clay.
Pre-digging the Holes - productivity plus
There was a time that I would rent a Dingo, take vacation from my regular job at noon on Friday, and went from job to job getting all my holes dug by dark on Friday evening. Beginning at daylight on Sat am, the truck would come to those three or four sites, I would meet the truck at drop 1, unload those Leyland Cypress trees, follow the truck to site # two, unload those Nellie Stevens Holly trees, etc. You can leave two helpers at drop #1, have them complete that job then drive to drop #2 and plant those. You are the equipment operator, with one helper riding along. After you and your helper have completed unloading drop #4, you and him plant those Thuja Green Giant trees, then drive to site # three, plant those and all four jobs are complete. You will probably then drive to drops #1 and #2 to collect payment and check the work. With four drops we would never have finished the 4 jobs on Saturday without having the holes pre-dug. We wouldn't ask the trucker to wait at each planting job while we unloaded those Cryptomeria Yoshino trees, changed to the auger attachment, dug those holes, etc. You can barely get a tractor trailer driver to make four drops to begin with!
Two Disadvantages Pre-Digging
Don't forget that someone could be walking through the property at night and trip into a dug hole. If you are planting in a rural area this may not be a risk. I remember a job in Richmond VA at a corporation that was secured by a tall chain link fence, so I pre-dug the holes one week ahead of planting day. When we came back to plant we found it had rained heavily and washed about half of that loose dirt to the bottom of the holes. It took more work to "clean out" those holes by removing the heavy mud than if we had dug them freshly.
Advantage of Pre-Digging - ensure your soil drains.
I also remember another planting job near Fort Washington, MD in a secure area, so I pre-dug the holes. The whole property had been built up from fill dirt many years before. This dirt would not drain at all. When we came back to look at the job, all holes were full of water, with deer tracks leading to each hole where deer had been drinking water from the holes. It's a good thing I checked that site before the day the truck arrived, so we could re-schedule the delivery for 1 week later. I explained the problem to my customer. We brought in a Ditch Witch, and created a small trench leading away from of each holes so that it would drain properly. Then the holes looked like a comet with a tail on it. Those Leyland Cypress trees would have all died due to being planted in holes that would not drain. We would have never known it except for the pre-digging. In summary the advantages are; planting day will go quicker if the holes are pre-dug unless it rains hard and washes the loose dirt back into the holes. Another advantage is you will find out if the soil does not drain well and address it by pre-digging. If this is the only goal, you may want to just pre-dig a few and just fill them with water using a hose. When you return the next morning and they are still almost full, you can address it before planting.
Soil Types
People ask me if Leyland Cypress will thrive in red clay; the answer is yes, red clay drains very well Be careful though if you see a grey clay soil while digging, sometimes it will be in a layer about one foot deep and is called pipe clay. Once wet it feels like Silly Putty in your hand. That layer below will cause water to accumulate and kill Thuja Green Giant trees. Loamy soil found in the Hamptons area of Long Island drains very well, therefore Thuja Green Giant trees planted there require more water than other soil types would require. If planting in a berm made with any decent top-soil will also drain well so therefore require additional water. Water as a guideline 5 gallons per tree twice per week for ten' trees. You could water 5 gallons three times per week during the first month if planted during hot weather, then cut back to 5 gallons twice per week. Leyland Cypress thrive in white sand and tolerate salt very well. I planted 13 big Leyland Cypress in Mantoloking, NJ in white sand, with seagulls flying overhead, my customer reported they were doing fine.
