Question
QUESTION: I live in north central Missouri.  I am purchasing 7 large maple trees. Autumn blaze and October glory maples.  What do I need to do to prepare the hole for transplant. Do I need to fertilize it, water it or anything else to prepare it?  It has been very dry here. Also when is it to late in the fall to transplant these trees? Is clay soil bad to plant these trees in?  Please help me!

ANSWER: Usually purchased trees will come with the root ball wraped in burlap and sometimes wire. These will need to be removed jsut before the tree tree is planted. Dig the hole twice the size of the diameter of the rootball and as deep and fil with good top soil or potting soil. Make sure the top of the rootnalll is even with the ground surface. You do not want to plant the tree too deep or too shallow. Mulch around the trees with not more than 3 inchs deep of organic mulch not piled up on the trunk. Water once a week with 1 incj iof water--place a pan under the tree and turn the sprinkler on and whne the pan has 1 inch of water in it atop. Do this if it does not rain. I would do this for a month after planting.  

IF the soil is heavy clay do not dig the hole with an auger--this tends to cause the sides and bottom of the hole smooth and makes the hole into a clay pot. This in the ground "pot" will hold wter and drown the roots. IF it is heavy soil--gumbo type- in the bottom of the hole male slits or loosen the caly so the hole will drain better.

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QUESTION: I would also like to know if you have ever heard of putting sand in the bottom of the hole to help hold moisture and putting a pvc pipe at an angle at the root ball to water through so the water gets to the roots? Is there something you can apply to the clay to break it down? These trees are already 6 years old. They will have a root ball and a basket.

Answer
Sand will not hold water but is used to help allow water to drain. If you do add sand to the bottom of the hole dig it a little deeper than the rootball. Also I would punch holes in the bottom of the hole for drainage. When digging in poorly drained clay soil, it is important to avoid 慻lazing? Glazing occurs when the sides and bottom of a hole become smoothed forming a barrier, through which water has difficulty passing. To break up the glaze, use a fork to work the bottom and drag the points along the sides of the completed hole.

I would not use the pipes--this tends to get too much water deep and the water may pool up. I would recommend the sprinkler system and check to se if the soil is dry before watering. Dig down a few inches and if it is dry then water. Of course remove the basket and burlap and wire before you plant the trees.