# Burlap and twine



## John Paul Sanborn (May 19, 2001)

Many of the local outfits are going back to all natural product on B&B stock. The recomend leaving the twine intact and letting it all rot off. Any comments?


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## Darin (May 19, 2001)

I have noticed the same. I would feel comfortable with the burlap left on. I wouldnt feel the same with the twine. I am assuming its the orange twine thats on almost everything. I feel like that twine girdles roots. Although I have seen it left on many trees, I dont think that makes it right. I think there is another post with a similar topic http://arboristsite.com/showthread.php?threadid=71 This has more wire basket stuff. I dont mind the burlap on personally because it keeps the integrety of the root ball. I would definitely take the twine off. We all have different opinions on this topic I think.
Darin


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## Treeman14 (May 19, 2001)

I've removed many small, dead trees with burlap and twine intact. Most of these trees died within one to five years after being planted. I think natural burlap is okay to leave on since it seems to deteriorate rather quickly. The twine seems to last for years and I have seen girdling problems. Wire baskets should definitely be removed. Many growers are apparently using some sort of sinthetic or plastic-coated burlap which is resistant to decay. This should be removed or at the very least sliced open in several places to allow root growth. Its sad to see so many young, otherwise healthy trees die because of poor planting practises. I guess it just takes too much time and effort to do it right.

[Edited by Treeman14 on 05-19-2001 at 12:10 PM]


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## treeclimber165 (May 19, 2001)

I must agree, Brett. As I stated in the other thread, I always tried to remove as much as possible without disturbing the root ball integrity. I was at a friend's house today, and he has a Dogwood that was planted 10 years ago. It has never done well. A year ago, he was digging near it and found twine in the dirt. He started pulling and realized the twine was around the roots of his Dogwood. He ended up digging all around the tree and removed the wire, burlap and twine from the rootball. This year is the first year the tree has bloomed. It is loaded with new growth and happy to be able to send out new roots.


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## Treeman14 (May 19, 2001)

Its amazing that dogwood held on for ten years. It must have felt like a prisoner living on bread and water all that time. "Free at last, free at last..."


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## treeclimber165 (May 19, 2001)

Hey Treeman14! Your link to your home page doesn't work and I can't email you from your profile. What area are you from? I'm in Florida. Would be glad to swap stories if you want to talk shop.


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## John Paul Sanborn (May 20, 2001)

The twine being used by these companies is jute. MATc (Milwaukee Area Tech. Col.) did an anicdotal experiment and the tree planted had the twine fall apert in 8 months, the burlap wat holding together better.

The Club got an order of big B&B stock form another vendor and they are adement they were dug up last fall. One white ash ah girdling started.


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## Jay Banks (May 23, 2001)

John,
Natural burlap in the soil will take anywhere from 3 to 12 years to break down. That is enough time to disrupt root establishment. As roots grow through the burlap and start to expand they are constricted and become girdled.

The best (good, better, best) course of action is to remove, repeat, remove the top half of the burlap and wire cage after the root ball is in the planting hole. Remember the planting hole is 5 times the diameter of the root ball so there is plenty of room to get at the wire cage and burlap.

Plant trees for the future

Jay


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## John Paul Sanborn (May 23, 2001)

I don't agree with the 5x planting pit theory. If you take a fork and free the soil up after installation, you will allow the roots to grow through the transition zone. One can also take a shovel and stick it in perpendicular to the ball every 2-3 inches. this is also a good idea to do with spade palntings to avoid the glazed wall. go down 6-8 inches wher the perponderance of rooting will be.


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## Treeman14 (May 23, 2001)

Yeah, 5x is overkill(no pun). I\'ll go 2x on large stuff or 3x on smaller material. When I\'m digging by hand for a 30-gallon container, I don\'t want to dig any more than 2x. My back can\'t handle it any more.


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## Jay Banks (May 24, 2001)

Folks,

If you are sloping the sides of your planting hole that is 2x the size of your root ball then you will easilly be out around 5x the diameter of the root ball.
I didn't say you had to dig down to the same depth as the planting hole to a diameter of 5x.

Jay
Certified Arborist
Urban Forester


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## Eric E. (May 24, 2001)

Most places now use natural burlap and many times it is treated to resist decay. When the twine and burlap is left tied you will rarely be planting the tree at the proper depth. most B&B plant are 3-6" deep in the root ball, if you don't remove the burlap you will not find the root flare. If you don't find the root flare you will rarely get the proper planting depth. I've seen a 100 times more trees that died from being planted too deep than ones that have been girdled. 
When the burlap is left on it acts as a wick and will dry the ball out and reduce the amount of water moving from adjoining soil to the root ball. 
Jay mentioned 3-12 years for the burlap to decay, that is correct in many cases. Last month I removed a maple that was planted 15 years ago. The wire basket and burlap were still present. I once removed at taxus that had been planted 30 years earilier and still found burlap in the bottom of the hole.
Remove the twine, burlap, basket, etc from the top half of the rootball, minimum, PERIOD!


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## John Paul Sanborn (May 26, 2001)

> _Originally posted by Eric E. _
> * I once removed at taxus that had been planted 30 years earilier and still found burlap in the bottom of the hole. *



That sound more like a synthetic then true burlap. 

In the MATC \"study\" the twine had fallen apart but the burlap was still holding together after around 8 months.


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