DIG AND SELL NATIVE TREES

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DIG YOU MUST!

Now, you're ready to remove the tree ... and here's how to do it: With the tree spade, dig—vertically—around the ball's circumference. A "chip-chop" digging method is usually best. That is, sock the spade down with its "back" toward the tree first (chip!) and, on the next downward swing, turn the spade 180 degrees to throw the wedge out of the hole (chop!).

In effect, you slice and throw the soil out of a vertical trench all the way around the tree. (Just be sure to make this ditch wide enough so you can reach under the ball with the spade later on.)

The trench will usually have to be dug from one to two feet deep ... in order to avoid cutting most of the feeder roots. Then—with the back of the spade still toward the tree—you can begin to chip-chop under the ball.

After you've cleared a space beneath the ball as far as you can reach, use the edge of the spade to cut the taproots and to dig out the remaining soil. (At this point, the tree should be totally severed from the underlying earth.) Now—very carefully—trim the ball of any excess roots and dirt, and shape it to the size desired.

READY TO MOVE

The next step is to wrap the root ball in burlap so it won't disintegrate (wrapping will also keep the roots moist... which is important, as dried roots can kill a tree quickly!). To do this, just unravel the seam of one of your sacks and open it up. Then, roll the tree—very gently—onto its side and slip the outspread sack as far under the ball as it will go. With that done, tip the tree in the opposite direction, pull the sack the rest of the way under the root mass, upend the sapling again, and—with your twine—tie the four corners of the sack tightly across the top of the ball. Then, wrap the cord around the burlap—several times—to keep everything compact and together. And, finally, roll the ball out of the hole and onto a tipped-to-its-side wheelbarrow ... in order to transport the tree to your truck.

Sound complicated? Well, it's really not difficult at all! In fact, most trees of salable size can be dug and balled in 15 or 20 minutes ... once you have a little practice. It's pretty easy to replant 'em, too. Simply dig a neat hole, throw in some top-soil (if it's necessary), and add the tree ... green side up, of course.

It is very important, however, to avoid piling dirt up around the trunk of the tree ... and don't ever set a sapling any deeper into the earth than it was originally! Either of these mistakes can cause the tree to smother at its base and die. You can, of course, stake the newly planted tree to keep it upright and stable. It's also a good idea, sometimes, to trim back the branches a bit, and mulch the tree with leaves or shredded bark to compensate for lost roots and moisture.

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