Not Too Late To Plant Trees And Shrubs

Hasn’t the summer been great?! Not too hot and not too cold. Granted, there have been a few downers - lake activities haven’t been the greatest, vegetables are a bit on the stunted side, and a number of my perennials have developed a case of the “white fuzzies.”

But all in all, it has been wonderful. For the first time, I have fuchsias that I don’t have to coddle and begonias that look like those in the catalogs. Even though it may not be in the blazing 90s everyday, it’s still summer. One question that keeps popping up at this time: “Is it too late to plant trees and shrubs?”

Absolutely Not! Trees and shrubs can be planted anytime. Our nurseries still have a wide selection to choose from. In fact, this is a great time to watch for sales. By following these few guidelines, your plants should be stunning for years to come.

Pick the right plant for the right place. Know how tall and wide it will become at maturity (and yes, you will live long enough to see a good size plant. Anyway, we plant for posterity, not just for ourselves). Are there powerlines to contend with? Does the root system behave or will it be surfacing in the neighbors yard? Do you want to rake leaves? Do you mind bees? If the plant flowers, the bees will come. Do you mind little pieces of fruit underfoot?

Now that you’ve made the right selection, let’s plant it. As soon as the plant arrives home, soak it. Even though the days aren’t raging in the 90s, it’s still a good practice to plant in the evening when it’s a bit cooler. Water loss from the leaves (transpiration) is basically nill at this time. Of course, you can plant anytime it’s cloudy and cool.

Dig the hole first. Dig it only as deep as the container and twice as wide. (Good luck to some of you digging in less than desirable soil.) Set the plant, container and all, in the hole, and scope out the direction you wish it to face. Remove the containers, including the burlap; loosen up the root system if need be (this may require cutting a few roots with a knife), and set the plant in the hole. It should not be any deeper than it was on the nursery floor.

Fill the hole with water. Add the backfill to the water forming a muddy solution to break up air pockets. Staking is not necessary unless you live in a wind belt. Keep the plants moist, especially the needles of evergreens. If the weather turns hot, a cool shower is always helpful and refreshing.

Transplanting during the summer months is a different story. Digging and moving plants from one place to another can easily result in a case of the guilts. Transplant shock can cause our precious plants to curl up and pass on. In that case, we ask ourselves why we couldn’t have waited until fall or late winter when the plants were dormant?

But, for some of us, when a plant has to go, it has to go. If you must transplant now, dig as much root system as possible and plant immediately. Again, accomplish this task in the late evening if possible, and water, water, water.

Now that we’ve given our yards a new lease on life, how about helping our city parks and streets? It’s time to give them a boost.

There’s a new program afoot called “Reforesting Spokane.” Few of us will soon forget Nov. 19, 1996, when an ice storm moved through our area damaging or killing literally thousands of our city’s trees.

The City of Spokane has developed the Reforest Spokane Trust Fund and Commemorative Program, in cooperation with the Spokane Park and Recreation Foundation as part of the effort to restore our city’s urban forest.

Over 5,000 trees were lost in that devastating storm. Preliminary replanting costs are estimated to be between $1 and $1.5 million.

The Reforest Spokane program was launched in early July with a $20,000 grant from the Spokane Branch of Safeco Insurance. It has also received donations from schoolchildren, private citizens, clubs and associations (including a wonderful $1,000 gift from Spokane’s Sister City, Nishinomiya).

But there is a long way to go. If you are interested in this program, please write for more information to the Spokane Park and Recreation Foundation to Reforest Spokane, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd., Seventh Floor - City Hall, Spokane, WA 99201-3317, or call 625-6655.

Look at it this way: If we all gave $5, our urban forest would be back on its roots in no time.

, DataTimes MEMO: Phyllis Stephens is a horticultural consultant and landscape designer in Spokane.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Phyllis Stephens The Spokesman-Review