Bigger Holes for Trees

This is a drawing of my lot with the trees and shrubs marked, plus heavy black lines for the drip irrigation.Yesterday I attended a meeting proposing a town forester for Taos and regulations on planting, maintenance, and removal of trees on public property (including streets). A forester led the discussion, and I learned that the holes that I dug for my trees (and some shrubs) were not wide enough.

Because the ground is so hard, I dug holes only wide enough for the potted plant. Bad idea. Most of the roots grow in the top 12” of soil — outward. Eventually they will grow out to the diameter of the canopy or more. During the first several years I need the roots to grow into loosened soil so that they can get air and water, yet not be drowned.

So today I borrowed the digging bar once again and started to widen the holes. Fortunately we had a little rain (less than 1/4”) last night, which softened some of the ground. By the time I had widened five of the holes I needed a break.

A couple of my trees are planted just above a very hard layer of packed clay embedded with many smallish rocks. I don’t want my trees to be bound by this layer, so I’m trying to break it up for the roots.

Another area was built as the parking pad for my lot. That means there is ‘pit run’ clay, sand, and rock compacted above the original topsoil. I have broken through the parking pad in a 4’ diameter hole for the trees planted in front of the house. Some of this is also mixed with sawdust, because that is where we set up the table saw during construction.

So I trust that my trees will have fair chance of rooting properly.

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