With proper irrigation management, however, fruit trees can be grown in as little as 1 to 11 ⁄2 feet of good topsoil. An additional complication in many areas is the presence of an impervious layer of hardpan or claypan beneath the soil surface. Where hardpan is found within 11 ⁄2 to 2 feet of the surface, it should be penetrated to allow for drainage and root growth. It may be possible to break through the hardpan with a pickaxe or by using a powered soil auger or jackhammer . If there is no way to get through it, build a raised bed 1 to 2 feet high and fill it with good quality soil. In any case, use care when irrigating to prevent saturating the soil in the root zone.Although fruit trees may be planted at any time of the year, they are often purchased during the winter months when they are dormant and available as “bare-root” stock. The best trees have a trunk diameter from 1 ⁄2 to 5 ⁄8 inch and usually become established faster than smaller or larger planting stock. If bare-root trees cannot be planted soon after purchase, they should be temporarily “heeled in” by covering the roots with soil, sawdust, or compost, and keeping them moist to prevent drying out.If the soil is compacted, it must be cultivated deeply in a wide area because roots will not grow through densely compacted soil. It is best not to add soil amendments or fertilizers directly into the planting hole, clone trays although it may be beneficial to rototill well-decomposed compost into the soil around the tree before digging the hole.
In heavy soils, undecomposed organic amendments may rot or be toxic to new roots. Wait until new growth is several inches long before applying fertilizer. Dig the planting hole at least twice as wide as the spread of the tree’s roots, but no deeper than the depth of the root ball unless the soil is deeply compacted. This reduces the likelihood of crown rot, which often kills trees in poorly drained soil. In soil containing a high percentage of clay, score the sides of the planting hole with a shovel to aid root growth outward from the hole.Examine the roots of bare-root trees and cut off any roots that are broken or kinked. Container-grown trees may have circling or girdling roots, which should be gently pulled away from the root ball before the tree is planted. Place the tree in the hole with the graft union at least 2 to 4 inches above the soil surface. The protruding notch of the union should be oriented toward the northeast to reduce the likelihood of sunburn . Partially fill the hole with the same soil that was excavated and firm gently, eliminating large air pockets. When properly planted, the soil line on the trunk of the tree should be 1 to 2 inches above the level of the surrounding ground. Placing a shovel handle or other straightedge across the hole can be a helpful way to check this during the filling process.
As a general rule, after the soil has settled, the uppermost large root should be just below the soil surface. The soil should slope downward from the tree to prevent water from accumulating near the trunk. Once the tree is properly oriented, finish filling the hole and gently firm the soil into place.All newly planted trees should be watered thoroughly to settle the soil around the root ball. If the soil is heavy loam or clay, care should be taken to avoid keeping the soil overly wet, since too much water eliminates air spaces in heavy soils, creating anaerobic conditions that can kill trees. For this reason, it is not always advisable to form a basin around the tree. However, trees should be basin-irrigated if the soil is sandy to loam, if the clay soil is dry, or if container-grown trees are planted during the growing season. Construct a doughnut-shaped basin for watering the newly planted tree, making sure that water drains away from the trunk. The basin should be slightly wider than the planting hole so that water can be applied to the entire root area and just beyond. Most of the root volume occupies a rather limited area, particularly through the first growing season, so frequent watering may be needed until the roots become established. Fill the basin once or twice a week in hot weather, less often when it is cool or rainy. Water must soak into the root ball of container-grown trees since they cannot obtain water from the surrounding soil until their roots grow into it. Remove the basin in winter so that the tree does not stand in accumulated rainwater.
The ground within about 3 feet of the tree trunk should be kept free of grass, weeds, or other vegetation that can compete with the tree for water and nutrients. A layer of mulch 3 to 6 inches thick, such as wood chips, helps control weeds and conserve moisture. Mulch should be kept several inches away from the trunk to minimize the occurrence of crown rot and eliminate hiding places for insect pests.An important goal of backyard orchard culture is to maintain relatively small trees to facilitate pruning, thinning, pest management, and harvesting. By heading the newly planted tree at knee height, about 18 to 24 inches , you force the tree to develop low branches. However, if access under the tree is important, head the tree higher, up to 36 inches . Small trees, those with a trunk diameter of 3 ⁄8 inch or less, usually have no lateral branches on their trunks worth saving, so remove all side branches . Larger trees, 1 ⁄2-inch diameter or larger, often have large lateral branches along their trunks. Some of these branches can be removed completely, but a few that are well spaced vertically and radially around the trunk can be headed back, leaving 3-inch outward-growing stubs with two or three lateral buds . These stubs will produce shoots that will become the main scaffold branches.Dryland pasture is an important component of Northeast California agriculture. When it is managed well, pasture provides valuable livestock forage and offers several indirect benefits including wildlife habitat, erosion control, weed prevention, and aesthetic value. Most pastures are composed of native and/or introduced plant species maintained for the primary purpose of livestock grazing. Dryland pasture production levels are strongly influenced by forage species, climate, and management. Northeast California’s climate zones vary from high mountain desert to alpine forest. An aerial view shows forest-covered mountains with valleys interspersed. Land elevations range from 2000 to over 6500 feet and areas are subject to extremes in temperature and precipitation. Annual precipitation levels vary from less than 10 inches on many eastern slopes and other localized areas to more than 80 inches in some western portions of the region. Some of the precipitation comes in the form of snowfall, which can be heavy at higher elevations. The length and dates of the growing season vary. In some areas, a seven-month growing season is common, while in other areas a killing frost may occur at any time of year. Due to these widely varying conditions, intermountain pastures are unique from location to location and require specific management that is closely coordinated with local site characteristics. The sections that follow address most aspects of establishment and subsequent management of dryland pasture in the intermountain region. The publication covers important considerations for site selection and plant species choice, examples of seed mixes that are appropriate for different climates and land-use plans, seedling rates, seed-bed preparation methods, planting times , seedling methods , weed control, fertilization, and grazing management.
When assessing a location’s potential for dryland pasture production, you should always consider the following site characteristics: Adequate annual precipitation. On most dryland sites in the intermountain region, cannabis drying room available soil moisture is the limiting factor for plant growth and establishment. Most dryland forage species require at least 12 inches of annual precipitation for adequate growth and long-term survival. Sites with less precipitation have limited productivity and may not provide an adequate economic return. Adequate soil depth. To provide sufficient water-holding capacity for productive plant growth, the soil depth must be at least 18 inches. While shallower soils can be planted, they seldom provide enough production for sustainable economically viable yields. Appropriate soil texture for root development and growth. Soil texture and depth determine a soil’s water-holding capacity and therefore strongly influence a site’s potential for forage production. Soil textures ranging from a sandy loam to silt or clay loam are most suitable for forage plant growth. Sandy soils lack sufficient water-holding capacity to sustain production through dry periods of the growing season. Adequate drainage to prevent waterlogging. Most dryland grass species thrive in well-drained soils that have no shallow subsurface restrictive layers. Two common types of restrictive layer are clay lenses and volcanic ash layers. If restrictive layers exist at a site, determine their depth and the feasibility of sub-soiling them with atillage implement before planting. In most cases, it is not cost-effective to sub-soil subsurface layers over a large area for dryland pasture. Freedom from excess salt accumulation . Salt-affected soils present several problems for dryland pasture establishment. The accumulation of salt in soils has a negative influence on several soil properties, including soil structure, water infiltration, and nutrient availability. High salt concentrations also inhibit plant growth and seedling establishment. If you suspect that a salt problem exists, conduct a soil salinity test to determine the extent of the problem and then consider planting grass species that are tolerant to current salinity levels. Reclamation of salt-affected soils is rarely cost-effective for dryland pasture. Freedom from rocks. The presence of large rocks in the soil rules out most cultivation and planting options and significantly reduces the potential for success in establishing a dryland pasture. For this reason, avoid rocky areas whenever possible. Slope. Generally speaking, slopes should be less than 15 percent in order to accommodate planting and soil preparation equipment and minimize the potential for erosion. Given a choice, most classes of livestock prefer to graze on slopes of less than 30 percent. Freedom from overstory vegetation. Before you establish a new pasture, it is important that you reduce competition from large woody species such as juniper trees and sagebrush. Dense overstory vegetation should be removed or thinned both to decrease competition for moisture and light and to reduce the potential for soil erosion. Overstory removal will aid in seedling establishment. See the Weed Control section for information on dealing with shrubs and juniper.Selecting appropriate plant species is one of the most important and fundamental steps in establishing dryland pasture. While there is quite an array of available dryland species, you can usually narrow the choice down to just a few by applying the criteria listed below. The three main criteria that you should always consider when selecting dryland pasture species are land-use objectives and future management plans of the pasture, soil and climatic characteristics of the site, and availability and cost of seed.It is important to choose plant species that are capable of meeting your specific land use objectives for the pasture. Many land managers have multiple objectives for a dryland seedling, which may include increasing livestock forage, controlling erosion, reducing weed infestations, providing wildlife habitat, restoring the native plant community, or some combination of these. If livestock forage production is the most important objective, look for forage species that respond well to grazing and are productive and palatable to livestock . If weed suppression is a concern, consider species with good seedling vigor, high yield potential, and tolerance to herbicides that are commonly used on the site. Plants to consider include grasses, forbs, and shrubs . Grasses constitute the main component of most dryland seedlings because they are easy to establish, provide effective erosion control, and supply nutritious forage for livestock. Forbs such as clovers and alfalfa are also included in many dryland seedlings. Usually forbs and shrubs are seeded as a small component of the total plant community, but they may provide important contributions including species diversity, high-quality forage, and sustained growth at different times of the year.It is critical that you select species that are adapted to the soil and precipitation characteristics of the chosen site.