Jan Bonham and Kristy Edwards work in the raised beds at Arbor Day Farm.

Are you looking to start your plantings earlier and possibly stretch your harvest date further?  Look no more than raised beds.  Raised beds are nothing more than elevating soil or mix, which allows the soil to warm faster in the spring and to cool slower in the autumn months.  In some regions, depending on climate, using raised beds lengthens the growing time by an extra month on either end of the regular growing cycle. That can be a real advantage in getting strong, healthy plants and trees.

Arbor Day Farm is currently experimenting with our own raised beds.  Our soil here is, for the most part, clay.  This hinders good root development for young seedlings and it also eliminates the possibility of lifting (that’s “greenhouse speak” for harvesting) the seedlings at maturity. The clay would tear the lateral roots, all but killing the seedlings once they went to outplanting.  With the challenge of clay soil in our area, we decided to go with raised beds as a trial when it comes to growing bareroot seedlings here at Arbor Day Farm. 

We started by choosing level ground near our current growing house operations.  We then staked out two sections, each  4’ by 30’.  We chose 4’ because it was wide enough to still access the middle of the bed from either side. We then removed all the sod out of the area and trenched a 6” wide by 6” deep area down the middle of the bed.  Next we constructed the bed walls.  We chose treated lumber (2” x 12”). We lined the bed and the wood walls with a 6-millimeter thick black plastic sheeting, which will block any leaching chemicals found in the treated lumber. 

Once the walls were up and the plastic down, we then laid 4” PVC drain pipe down the trench, and placed about 2” of river rock on top of the pipe as our bottom aggregate.  With the river rock in place, next comes the irrigation system. We put together a simple system utilizing a typical lawn irrigation computer, ¾” PVC pipe, and a major brand riser/irrigation head. Next layer: soil.

Our soil mix included yard compost, peat, sand, and vermiculite.  Once mixed, our recipe gave us the consistency we were looking for.  The yard compost was an easy choice because its readily available in our area and it is cheap. (Hey, we all have a budget, right?)  The peat is another natural organic that gives good porosity.  The sand gives the mix its compaction.  Without sand, the mix would be fluffy.  And, last but not least, the vermiculite (the round white balls you always see in purchased container plants) gives the mix great porosity and good drainage characteristics. We went heavier on the yard compost, which caused our pH to start high.  However, the pH will be adjusted during the growth of the seedlings with an acid injection at each watering. 

Once our soil recipe was fine-tuned, we filled the beds all the way to the top because we knew the soil mix would settle.  And we were right.  We finished the beds in late May and the soil has settled about two inches since then.

In our raised beds at Arbor Day Farm, we are currently trialing two shrubs and one tree species.  After sowing, we covered the entire raised bed with a shadecloth and elevated it on 5′ risers, allowing the irrigation to function correctly.  Once the shadecloth has served its purpose, we will convert it to a wildlife screen to ward off those pesky mammals, both large and small. This screen will stay on until lifting (harvesting) in the fall.  We look to lift our mature seedlings with nothing more than a pitchfork. The tines on the fork should lift the seedlings uniformly and we can then pull them out in groups and shake off the soil mix from the roots. 

This particular raised bed system is a good one to try.  We’re learning the art of bareroot growing, and this system allows us to show what we’re learning to the many visitors that come through the Tree Adventure and the Lied Greenhouse here at Arbor Day Farm.  This outreach is a direct connection to our mission: Inspiring People to Plant, Nurture, and Celebrate Trees.  We hope you’ll come visit this summer and see for yourself.

Until next time,
Adam

 Adam Howard is the Manager of Nursery Operations at Arbor Day Farm and a Certified Forester with the Society of American Foresters. He has been in the forest industry for 11 years and contributes regularly to this blog. For more information on how you can receive trees from the Arbor Day Foundation, visit arborday.org.

We make good use of the trimmed branches, too. A few of them remain on the ground in the orchard, providing winter shelter and foraging options for a variety of animals. But for human enjoyment, apple wood is known for being an excellent wood for smoking meats, particularly pork. We haul some of the apple wood to the Timber Dining Room at Lied Lodge and to local barbecue restaurants, where it’s used to bring delicious, smoky flavors to your table.

The hours of winter maintenance in the apple orchard today make for tastier, more abundant apples in September. I hope you’ll come and see for yourself.

 Erik Olson is the Orchards Manager at Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska City, Nebraska. 

And there are countless ways to do our part, from big investments in our home or landscaping, to small changes in our everyday habits. Thousands of people all around the world will participate in trash pick-ups, they’ll commit to reusable bags and water bottles, the’ll take public transportation or get in on a carpool, or maybe plant some trees in their yard or community.

As a certified arborist with the Arbor Day Foundation, I must admit that planting trees is hands-down my favorite way to give back to the planet.

If you’re planting trees this Earth Day or Arbor Day, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

The Right Tree in the Right Place
While the act of planting a tree may only involve an hour or two, the care and management of that tree will last your entire lifetime. It’s worth the time to carefully consider where you will be planting trees. A few extra minutes spent making sure the trees you plant are appropriate for the site and soil conditions will ensure strong, healthy trees for years to come. The Arbor Day Foundation has great tips for planting trees in the right place on their website.

But after the tree is in the ground, the hole is filled with dirt and the shovel is back in the toolshed, what happens then? How can you make sure that the trees you’ve planted enjoy a long, healthy life?

Deep Watering and Mulch
During the first couple of growing seasons your newly-planted tree is expending a lot of energy trying to get its roots established in the soil. Especially during the first few summers of the tree’s life, it will have a difficult time dealing with heat and drought. You can alleviate stress on the tree by providing adequate water and covering the soil with wood chip mulch. Deep watering can help speed the root establishment. Deep watering consists of keeping the soil moist to a depth that includes all the roots and can help speed the root establishment. Then in a few years, good, strong roots will have formed and your tree can withstand droughts on its own because it has a proper root structure.

But Don’t Over-Water
Deep watering is a good thing, but taking it too far and over-watering a newly-planted tree is a common mistake. Moist is different than soggy, and you can judge this by feel. A damp soil that dries for a short period will allow adequate oxygen to permeate the soil.

Ask Your Local Expert
Most people have no formal training when it comes to taking care of their trees. Fortunately, there is plenty of information available and local tree experts ready to help. Local arborists will know your region best and can offer helpful guidance, information, and websites to get your trees off to a healthy start.

On Earth Day, Arbor Day, or any day —- thank you for doing your part for the planet.

Robert Smith is a certified arborist with the Arbor Day Foundation in Lincoln, Nebraska. His great passion for planting and caring for trees on the local, national and international level fuels his service on numerous community tree planting organizations. Robert’s favorite trees are bur oak, dwarf chinkapin oak, and white pine. Ask Robert a tree question