Western Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education
(SARE) Farm Internship Curriculum and Handbook

Tree Planting - Field Exercise

Layout

• Consider goals of tree planting - reforestation, food crop, windbreak, shade, etc.
• Consider environmental factors - soil, climate, aspect, etc.
• Consider the needs and optimal conditions for the trees to be planted.

Planting

• Bare Root Trees
• Dig hole - should be deeper and wider than roots
• Trim off any broken roots
• Place roots in hole. Ensure that tree is straight. Slowly fill the hole and gently tamp the soil in around the roots.
• Depth of planting depends. Generally, in climates with a long wet season, the tree should be planted high - not in a basin - to ensure that the roots do not drown. A basin around the tree is helpful to capture and concentrate rainfall around the root zone, if the rain comes gradually over the course of the year.

• Potted Trees
• Dig hole - slightly bigger than the pot
• Remove tree from pot, and massage the potting soil so as to break compaction and offset any root binding.
• Place tree and soil into hole, slowly backfill with native soil around the potting soil, gently tamp.
• Depth depends - see above

Irrigation

• Discuss need for irrigation based on site specifics
• Pros - smothers weeds, conserves water, attracts earthworms.
• Cons - attracts mice, moles, and gophers.
• Demonstrate using straw or cardboard, or both

Mulching

• Discuss pros and cons.
• Demonstrate proper installation of drip irrigation

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