I'm not sure heavy clay does this ground justice.....

[greenadam21]

Hello all-

This is my first post on this site...so let me know if this is the wrong place to put this.

Ok ..

My wife and I bought a home in January of last year since that time its been project, on top of project. Lately its been the yard. My problem is the dirt. Its obvious the company that built this home hauled off the topsoil, sold it, and backfilled with the earth they took to dig out the basement/foundation.
it has about 5 inched of heavy clay soil..then just straight bright orange clay followed by an almost rubbery black clay that crumbles and seems to hold no water. In other words when i dig a hole it essentially a swimming pool. I can send you a picture if it would help...

I've got 2 --river birch-- 15' tall with 24" deep by 24" high balled and burlaped/metal basket root systems. I dug out a 6.5 foot wide 18" deep hole (slightly less deep than the top of the root ball) so I could elevate the root system and mound dirt above and hopefully keep the tree from drowning. Backfilled with good topsoil.

I'm very concerned about over watering because a failure last year with tree has me spooked....but i really think it had a lot to do with planting the tree in late June(never a good Idea I know).

Are there any post planting treatments that I can to to help water drain. I had considered getting post hole digger making several deep holes around the perimeter of the dig site and fill them with sand/gravel mix. But i worry those will just fill with water as well.

The trees look ok so far....One has a little yellowing from when it was first transplanted but thats it.


I'd love to know how the experts would plant the tree in this situation...

Any tips as to how to handle this situation....

 

[BC WetCoast]

The usual procedure for planting in poor draining clay soils is to dig about 1.5 times deeper than the root ball, leaving a pedestal in the centre. Place the root ball on the pedestal and backfill will amended soil (add sand and organic matter). This way, any pooling water will be lower than the root ball.

The different colours in clays relate to different chemicals in the soil, usually caused by minerals leaching through the soils. For example, iron leaching out of one layer of clay will lead to rust coloured soils in lower layers.

As for your yard, I would suggest you amend your clay soils with sand and organic matter.

 

[Zig]

Don't forget the other rules...

Other necessary things to think about when you plant(most of it's a bit of too little too late, but always good to know in the future);
1) Examine the rootball(whether in containers, ball&burlap, or bare rooted) and check for damaged, torn, discolored(finding/identifing takes a lil learnin), or girdling roots(ones that are crossing at bad angles/encircling the base of the trunk, where all the large roots flare out from). Use a sharp handsaw to carefully remove any of these, to help curb future problems, in the area you(hopefully) won't be seeing again.
2) Having good soil to plant in is key, so you've got an uphill battle to fight, but sifting out all of the rocks you have the patience to, will help, but DON'T add potting soil, or anything richer to what you fill in your hole with, because you'd be encouraging the roots to stay in that small area, and not spread, because you'd be spoiling it with loose, well drained, soil, that's not like what's outside the little, in-ground container, you'd have created. I can't stress this enough, because it's way too common of a problem. If you really want to add something, topdress with compost, then a heaping layer at least2-4inches of mulch, to keep the compost from blowing/washing away/ to retain moisture, and keep the soil temp. a little more stable. Don't spread any of it too close to the spot where the trunk widens out at ground level( the root flare), bc this could invite rot. Don't(unless you plan on missing a lot of waterings, and don't have time) create a bermed up soil or mulch wall to retain more water, as this just invites too much moisture at the base of the trunk too, unless the specimen you're planting is water loving and can tolerate that
3) A very light, light pruning can be done, to promote a better branching pattern, and only cut things like broken limbs, limbs too close together etc. but like I said very light! Less is more!
4) Finding a nursery/landscape/tree service/local testing facility that can give you at least a basic soil analysis, so you can tailor/or have someone else create a comprehensive fertilizing regimine, preferably injection(which can areate and fertilize at the same time with good results, even better if you go organic, with the liquid/powdered nutrients!) to ensure the tree has everything it will need to get established, and spread those roots like crazy! A foliar feed also works well as a quick means to help minimize transplant/planting shock
5) Water deeply with trees, by that I mean not every other day, infrequently, with time in between for the soil to dry a bit between waterings. Once again stay away from the base of the trunk with the water, and as general rule, water at the invisible perimiter that all of the limbs stretch out to, because, if they're not there already, your roots that feed/provide the most food for the tree, are at least to this drip line, or usually on mature trees, stretch much further, underground.
I skipped a little because I feel like I'm getting carried away, but you wanted to know how someone who considers themselves a professional would do it, so there ya go with the most basic pointers!

 

[Zig]

My bad!

For some reason, I saw rock, when you clearly stated you're planting in heavy clay, sorry, just used to our soil types here in Texas...but we have heavy black clay, as well as the orange and red stained stuff too...almost more of a sandy, loam, then clay though....the other poster's recommendations about planting in a pedistal hole was right on, but instead of sand, I'd suggest perlite, or compost, to loosen up your soil and improve drainage, but at a ratio of at most 4:1 of native soil, to whatever you ammend with; nothin against you, other guy, but sand is harder to mix in, and can cause more drainage problems, if not mixed thoroughly....