Any advice on planting Coastal Redwood?

[Justiebabe]

Hi guys- I am about to plant a redwood grove using Soquels in 15 gallon containers. Any tips you have on planting technique will be very welcome. The terrain is loamy soils with heavy clay starting at 2 feet below ground. Do you recommend staking? The area can get quite windy. How do I avoid crown rot and do I need to break up the root clump or leave intact?

 

[snowtree]

well, you want to be careful that you don't plant the tree too deep. when you TAKE IT OUT of the 15 gallon bucket, just check for roots that are wrapping around the bucket , and cut them so they don't girdle the tree . you don't want to break up the root ball if you don't have too. and try to leave the top of the root colllar 2 inces above grade.

 

[treeseer]

well, you want to be careful that you don't plant the tree too deep. just check for roots that are wrapping around the bucket , and cut them so they don't girdle the tree . you don't want to break up the root ball if you don't have too. and try to leave the top of the root colllar 2 inces above grade.

well I agree on the abovegrade part in heavy soil, but I think it's better to straighten circling roots than cut them. If you do that, you'll lose a lot, and they'll tend to grow back in the same (circling) direction.

Breaking up and amending a LARGE planting bed is the main job. Planting Motto: Aim the roots into amended beds. See Planting in the link below and http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/planting/index.htm

Stake loosely if the wind moves the roots.

 

[smokechase II]

roots

What snowtree is saying is don't plant that tree near a sidewalk or paved road. Those redwoods can seriously grow and huge roots are going to be needed to support it. Think landscape around it rather than mow.

Then again, sidewalk slabs that look like they've been flipped be a kid learning to do pancakes are attractive.

If the tree is going to go it against the wind solo it could be in trouble eventually. A forest is stronger than an individual tree or two or three against an adversary like the wind.
60 years from now, when that tree is above everything else. Are the prevailing winds gonna take it into your home? Redwoods are big and it could well come down with the power to make it through the attic.
(Two sixty year old redwoods are well over 4 foot dbh at my in laws)

But if you're gonna be gone by then and you don't really care.....

 

[treeseer]

But if you're gonna be gone by then and you don't really care.....

Of course we'll be gone by then, but our kids won't...