LAB: Evaluating and Choosing Nursery Stock
Activity: Nursery Field Trip
Main Points from Lab:
- Types of nursery stock: container, B&B (balled and burlap), bare root
- Inspect before you purchase
- Evaluate for Quality Factors:
- Rootball defects; shape of rootball
- Size, shape, structure of canopy (uniformity)
- Planting depth
- Included bark
- Trunk form
- Branch Arrangement
- Pruning cuts
- Pests and diseases
- Leaf Color
- Top die-back
- Other considerations
- Trunk and canopy defects are easier to correct than root system defects
- Size of rootball is a consideration; how much irrigation can be provided…a larger tree needs greater watering consistency in nursery and on site
- Bend test for trunk: poor rooting?
- Caliper vs tree height pg.6 in booklet
- Avoid mulit-leaders; no major branches should be touching; branch diameter should be less than 2/3 of trunk diameter.
