Burlap root balls

 Should burlap be removed from root balls when planting?

The state university's tree planting web page says yes. However, I've read
that if the root ball comes apart, that's bad. On the other hand, I've seen
diagrams of how to split root balls or cut the sides to get the roots freed
up from the root balls mass to promote growth.

Is there any consensus on this?

Thanks

 Kurt Gavin wrote:

Well, I think you've already ruled-out that there can be a consensus by
presenting two conflicting opinions. Best we can do is discredit one or
the other opinion, vote on which one this group likes best, or flesh-out
situations where each one would be more appropriate than the other. But
we're past the point of consensus.

One thing you don't want to do is leave part of the burlap exposed. That
will result in water being wicked away from the root ball. I don't think
you're going to find anyone who thinks leaving part of the burlap
unburied is a good idea.

Burlap is biodegradable, so leaving it buried shouldn't be a problem.
But if someone has balled it up in some synthetic tarp that isn't going
to biodegrade, then that needs to be removed. But removing what's
holding the root ball together leaves you with a whole lot of other
problems. This may not be much of a problem with a small shrub, but if
you're talking about a big tree, you don't want to have to figure out
how to support the tree while you pull a David Copperfield, and get the
tarp out from under the root ball. A better idea would be to get the
tree from somewhere that uses real, biodegradable burlap. Save the
synthetic stuff for debris barriers.

--
Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.

     Power Lawncare Tools for Spring Clean-up:
   http://www.holzemville.com/mall/blackanddecker/

 

I agree.


But some of the natural fiber burlap has been treated to slow decomposition
drastically, so I'd get as much off as possible.

Kay

--
NewsGuy.Com 30Gb $9.95 Carry Forward and On Demand Bandwidth

 
Yes.  Put tree in hole.  Push to one side as far as possible, and cut the
burlap low on that side.  Remove what you can, and push the rest under the
root ball as far as possible.  Tip the tree as far in the other direction
as possible, and pull the burlap out.  Set the tree straight. Continue
planting.

If that's too much work, cut burlap all around the root ball as far down
as you can reach, and remove most of it, leaving only the patch under
the center of the root ball.

Kay

--
NewsGuy.Com 30Gb $9.95 Carry Forward and On Demand Bandwidth

  synthetic, yes, cotton, no.  Ingrid


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List at
http://weloveteaching.com/puregold/
sign up: http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?hl=en&q=puregold&qt_s=Group+lookup
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I receive no compensation for running the Puregold list or Puregold website.
I do not run nor receive any money from the ads at the old Puregold site.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zone 5 next to Lake Michigan