Bare Root Trees

Dear Friend, Are you just as excited as we are about spring being here and going back to the garden? You must be, because we’ve got lots of things to plan and do in order to achieve the best survival garden that will meet all our expectations and needs. This month’s free report is going to show you all you need to know to grow sturdy trees for your orchard. From picking the best trees from a nursery, to planting them, pruning and trimming them properly, as well as the mistakes you must avoid at all costs, we have everything here. Plus photos, tips and graphics that will take the guesswork out and will help you achieve your goals! P.S.: Remember that sharing is caring, so share this info with your friends that might benefit from this experience!

Alec Deacon Survivopedia.com

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Table of Contents DISCLAIMER ................................................................................................................................... 5 How to Plant Trees in the Spring................................................................................................. 6 Decide How You Will Obtain the Tree ................................................................................................................ 7 Tips for Choosing the Best Trees from a Nursery .......................................................................................... 8 Never buy trees that have leaves or flower buds opening .................................................................... 9 Check how much water is in the burlap ........................................................................................................ 9 Check how healthy are the branches and the trunk ................................................................................. 9 Avoid trees that show signs of damage ........................................................................................................ 9 Preparing the Roots................................................................................................................................................ 10 Bare Root Trees.................................................................................................................................................... 10 Root Ball Trees ..................................................................................................................................................... 11 Container Trees.................................................................................................................................................... 11 Pruning and Preparing the Branches ............................................................................................................... 12 Preparing to Plant the Tree.................................................................................................................................. 13 Bare Root Trees.................................................................................................................................................... 13 Root Ball Trees ..................................................................................................................................................... 14 Container Trees.................................................................................................................................................... 16 Making Sure the Tree Takes ................................................................................................................................ 17 15 Fatal Mistakes That People Make When Planting Trees ..................................................................... 17 Choosing a Spot with the Wrong Lighting ............................................................................................... 18

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Failure to Account for Other Trees Nearby ............................................................................................... 18 Not Paying Attention to Diseases................................................................................................................. 19 Failure to Choose a Suitable Species ........................................................................................................... 19 Failure to Prepare the Soil ............................................................................................................................... 21 Failure to Protect Bark and Roots ................................................................................................................. 22 Disrupting the Root Ball ................................................................................................................................... 22 Failure to Account for Climate ....................................................................................................................... 23 Lack of Proper Watering................................................................................................................................... 23 Planting at the Wrong Time............................................................................................................................ 24 Planting in the Wrong Weather..................................................................................................................... 25 Not Taking Time to Bear Harvest into Account....................................................................................... 25 Not Taking into Account Underground Features ................................................................................... 26 Planting Near Power Lines or other Structures ....................................................................................... 27 Not Taking Care of Seasonal Maintenance ............................................................................................... 28 What You Need to Know about Pruning and Trimming Trees............................................... 29 5 Reasons to Prune and Trim Your Trees and Bushes ............................................................................... 30 1. Pruning Keeps the Trees Healthy ............................................................................................................. 30 2. Less Branches, More Sun and Light for Growing ............................................................................... 30 3. Pruning Helps Keep Their Best Growing Pattern ............................................................................... 31

4. Less Branches, More Food for What Is Left .............................................................................................. 31 5. Damage Control Done Right ..................................................................................................................... 33 Tools You Need for Pruning and How to Maintain Them ....................................................................... 33

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Hand Held Pruners ............................................................................................................................................. 33 Loppers ................................................................................................................................................................... 34 Pruning Saws ........................................................................................................................................................ 35 Hedge Shears ....................................................................................................................................................... 35 Telescoping Poles ............................................................................................................................................... 36 Chainsaws .............................................................................................................................................................. 36 Basic Guide for Pruning: 5 Rules You Need to Know................................................................................. 37 Some Thoughts on Sealing .................................................................................................................................. 38 Branch Training: An Alternative to Pruning and Trimming ..................................................................... 40 Resources ..................................................................................................................................... 42 Survivopedia Articles on Gardening ................................................................................................................. 42

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DISCLAIMER THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN “HOW TO GROW AN ORCHARD: The Prepper's Guide to Growing Healthy Trees” IS MEANT TO SERVE AS A COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION OF STRATEGIES THAT ARE ONLY RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE AUTHORS, AND READING THIS EBOOK DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT ONE’S RESULTS WILL EXACTLY MIRROR OUR OWN RESULTS. THE AUTHOR OF “HOW TO GROW AN ORCHARD: The Prepper's Guide to Growing Healthy Trees” HAS MADE ALL REASONABLE EFFORTS TO PROVIDE CURRENT AND ACCURATE INFORMATION FOR THE READERS OF THIS COURSE. THE AUTHOR WILL NOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY UNINTENTIONAL ERRORS OR OMISSIONS THAT MAY BE FOUND. THE MATERIAL IN “HOW TO GROW AN ORCHARD: The Prepper's Guide to Growing Healthy Trees” MAY INCLUDE INFORMATION, PRODUCTS, OR SERVICES BY THIRD PARTIES. THIRD PARTY MATERIALS COMPRISE OF THE PRODUCTS AND OPINIONS EXPRESSED BY THEIR OWNERS. AS SUCH, THE AUTHORS OF THIS GUIDE DO NOT ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR ANY THIRD PARTY MATERIAL OR OPINIONS.THE PUBLICATION OF SUCH THIRD PARTY MATERIALS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE AUTHORS’ GUARANTEE OF ANY INFORMATION, INSTRUCTION, OPINION, PRODUCTS OR SERVICE CONTAINED WITHIN THE THIRD PARTY MATERIAL. WHETHER BECAUSE OF THE GENERAL EVOLUTION OF THE INTERNET, OR THE UNFORESEEN CHANGES IN COMPANY POLICY AND EDITORIAL SUBMISSION GUIDELINES, WHAT IS STATED AS FACT AT THE TIME OF THIS WRITING, MAY BECOME OUTDATED OR SIMPLY INAPPLICABLE AT A LATER DATE. THIS MAY APPLY TO THE “HOW TO GROW AN ORCHARD: The Prepper's Guide to Growing Healthy Trees” AS WELL AS THE VARIOUS SIMILAR COMPANIES THAT WEHAVE REFERENCED IN THIS EBOOK, AND OUR SEVERAL COMPLEMENTARY GUIDES. GREAT EFFORT HAS BEEN EXERTED TO SAFEGUARD THE ACCURACY OF THIS WRITING. OPINIONS REGARDING SIMILAR WEBSITE PLATFORMS HAVE BEEN FORMULATED AS A RESULT OF BOTH PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, AS WELL AS THE WELL DOCUMENTED EXPERIENCES OF OTHERS. NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION SHALL BE REPRODUCED OR SOLD BY ANY ELECTRONIC, MECHANICAL OR OTHER MEANS WITHOUT THE WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE AUTHORS. ANY AND ALL REQUESTS FOR SUCH PERMISSION SHOULD BE SENT BY TO [email protected]. COPYRIGHT 2016 SURVIVOPEDIA™, “HOW TO GROW AN ORCHARD: The Prepper's Guide to Growing Healthy Trees”

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How to Plant Trees in the Spring Once you decide to start a survival orchard, it is not so simple to just go out, buy a few trees, dig a hole and plop the trees in. You will find that trees take a good bit of care, and that a great deal of planning goes into having a healthy orchard that will last for decades. If you do not take the right steps when planting a tree, you will have all kinds of problems later on that could have been avoided. Here are the basic tips for making sure each tree gets off to a good start regardless of the species.

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Decide How You Will Obtain the Tree Today, many people planning to start new trees simply go to the local nursery or even a department store and pick up a few trees that look good to them. Other people may spend the cold winter months poring over seed catalogs and dreaming over those delightful pictures of perfect fruit and robust trees. No matter whether you have experience with receiving a tiny twig that looks dead and never sprouts in the mail, or you wind up with wilting leaves on a tree that looked lively and robust in the nursery, it is important to consider some other avenues for obtaining trees. Here are just a few ways that may offer better results, even though they may take longer or involve more work:  Take a walk through your neighborhood and the local forests. Identify tree species of interest to you and watch carefully for saplings that you may be able to dig up and transplant to your orchard. If your neighbors have trees of interest, ask if you can take cuttings. Make sure that you choose cuttings only from heritage or non-hybrid trees so that you can obtain viable seeds to replant as needed. As with any other plant, you should include seed storage as part of your stockpile plans.  Take a look at the branches on a tree of interest and see if there is any new growth suitable for rooting or making cuttings. In most cases, you will be looking for new growth about the size of a pencil in length and thickness. Be sure to do some research on making cuttings from trees so that you know the best length and thickness for each species under consideration.  If you cannot find any viable saplings or branches for cuttings, consider returning in the fall to look for ripe fruit or seed pods that can be planted in order to start a new tree directly in your orchard.  In some tree species, you may also find viable seed pods in the late spring or even early summer. Depending on the species, you may be able to start them almost immediately in a flower pot or sow directly in your orchard. Try to gather several seeds and then save

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some in case the first planting fails. Do not forget that some tree seeds can take weeks, months, or even an entire year before they even put up a single set of leaves. Make sure that you know the proper temperature and conditions for tree seed germination so that you have a better idea of what to expect.

Tips for Choosing the Best Trees from a Nursery There are bound to be situations where you will have to go to a local nursery because you cannot find established trees in your area to take cuttings or seeds from. In these cases, it can be very difficult to choose good trees because it may be impossible to take a look at the root ball and the surrounding roots.

Even so, there are some things to consider:

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Never buy trees that have leaves or flower buds opening In most cases, the buds are on trees that are too young to bear fruit, so they will just fall off without producing anything. If you buy trees with leaves opening from the buds, they will most likely wither and die from transplant shock. Once these buds die, there will not be any secondary ones in place to sprout new leaves. The best you can hope for in this scenario is for suckers to come up from the roots. If you purchased grafted trees, anything below the graft will not be the species of tree that you purchased. It may be a wild variant, a hybrid, or something else altogether.

Check how much water is in the burlap If you buy trees in burlap sacks, make sure that the burlap is not over or under saturated with water for the species under consideration. If there is too much water or other signs of poor drainage, the roots will rot in the sack and be unable to grow. On the other hand, a sack that is too dry will also result in dead roots.

Check how healthy are the branches and the trunk Look carefully at all branches of the tree, and as much of the trunk, root system, soil, and covering as possible. You should always be aware of insects or anything else that may be present in the nursery. It only takes a few eggs from a pathogenic insect hiding in the soil or on the tree to wreak havoc once you bring the new tree home. Needless to say, you should also look carefully for signs of canker, worms, and other tree diseases.

Avoid trees that show signs of damage This includes limbs that have been broken off or bent, trunks with cuts in them, or burlap bags that have been slashed. It is also important to avoid trees from nurseries or stores where you notice signs of neglect. Even though the trees may still be dormant, it does not bode well if the nursery or store has plants that are wilting and dyeing all over the place.

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No matter whether the plants are over watered, under watered, or improperly sheltered, signs of “cookie cutter” plant treatment means the same may be happening to trees you are planning to buy. As such, the tree may be in horrible condition and will not grow as well as it should.

Preparing the Roots If you purchase rooted trees, you have to prepare them properly before planting them in the ground. If you don’t know for sure what to do to have a healthy orchard, here are the basic ways you can buy rooted trees and how to prepare each one for planting:

Bare Root Trees Start out by removing the packing material from around the roots. Work gently so that you do not remove the fine hairs from the roots. These hairs take in water and nutrients for the tree. Without them, the tree may die or fail to thrive until it is able to develop new hairs. Once the packing is removed, let the roots soak for a maximum of 6 hours.

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Make sure that the water in the bucket does not soak the trunk of the tree. Only the roots should be submerged. After the roots have been soaked, examine them to see if there are any broken or dead roots. Remove anything that is broken or damaged.

Root Ball Trees If you purchase trees in a burlap sack, chances are they have an established root ball. Other than removing the tree from the sack (which you will do one the tree is placed in the planting hole) you do not need to prepare the roots. Just handle these trees with great care. Only lift and carry them while holding the root ball because of the weight in this area. If you attempt to lift or adjust the tree by manipulating the branches or trunk, the root ball may actually break off beneath the soil, where you cannot see what is happening.

Container Trees These trees are usually sold in a plastic container filled with soil. The tree will establish a root ball and also roots that would normally spread out into the soil. Carefully remove the tree from the container. Be careful not to pull or yank on the trunk or the container or the heavier root ball may break away from the tree. Once the container is removed, look carefully at any visible roots. If the tree is “root bound” (ie has roots growing all over the place and circling from being overly confined in the container, then you will need to do some additional work to encourage healthy growth. In this case, cut two lines into the bottom of the root ball so that the roots will spread. Do not squeeze on the root ball or try to soak it in water in an effort to free the roots. All of these actions will damage the root hairs and may also break larger roots that attach to the trunk of the tree. It’s also important to refrain from making extensive or deep cuts into the root ball. Remember that there is a good bit of weight in the soil surrounding the roots, and when you cut into the root ball, you are putting pressure on the central roots, and may easily damage them. The more

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you cut into the root ball, the greater risk you run of cutting off vital root hairs that will be needed to help the tree get through transplant shock and go on to thrive.

Pruning and Preparing the Branches Even though many nurseries and planting guides do not talk about this, even trees fresh from the nursery may require some pruning. Keep in mind a few important things before planting regardless of how the roots were prepared for sale:  Remove any dead limbs or stumps that may have gone unnoticed while you were selecting a tree. You may also notice that mail order trees will have branches that broke or became ruined during the shipping process.  Make sure that remaining healthy limbs do not rub against each other or prevent easy flow of air around and through the tree.  Look carefully at the trunk and near the roots to get rid of any suckers. This is especially important if you purchased grafted trees. Once suckers begin growing below the graft, they will grow faster than the grafted sections and eventually kill them off.  If you notice unopened flower buds, do not remove them. In many species of tree, the leaf buds may be very close to the flower buds. It is safer to let the flowers open, and then knock them off once the leaves emerge safely. Remember that the tree will not get a new set of leaf buds unless it goes through a new growing season. If you damage the leaf buds now, the tree will die or begin putting up suckers from the roots. Once you have the tree planted, remember that it needs pruning and trimming too, and also training young branches to suit your needs. Keep reading this report, and you will find all you need to know about trimming and pruning in the next chapter. Just for a short example, you can start training them along horizontal wooden posts to make hedgerows or in other patterns of interest to you. When staking trees to train the branches,

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remember that the tree must also survive transplant shock and adapt to its new home. Work gently with the limbs so they gradually take the shape you are interested in.

Preparing to Plant the Tree Once you know that the branches, roots, and trunk are in the best possible shape, it is time to consider how to dig a proper hole for your new tree. As with root preparations, you will find that each type requires a different type hole and preparations:

Bare Root Trees Start out by digging at least 2 – 3 times as deep as the lowest point in the root system by 2 – 3 times as wide, and make sure that the soil is loose and soft. Remove all grass up to three feet around where the tree will be planted, as that grass and weeds will quickly form sod that can absorb water and prevent it from getting to tree roots. While this may not matter much in later years, it is critically important for the tree to get enough water during the transplant shock phase and through the first year. Do not add fertilizer, mulch, or other additives to the soil because these additives can burn exposed roots or do other damage to them. Once you have the hole dug, look carefully at the root system. Depending on the tree, you’ll notice that the roots spread out naturally and leave an inverted cone of sorts in the center. Before placing this type of tree in the hole, build up a cone of soil so that the roots can spread gently around it. Fill the hole with water and let it drain down naturally. Do not put excess pressure on the roots when arranging them on the cone, but do encourage them to spread out on the soil. If the roots do not splay out naturally to form a hollow cone, you can still put some very soft soil in the hole and gently push the tree into the soil.

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For this root structure, add soil gently and pay attention to any areas where the roots may need extra support. Do not pack the soil around the roots, but do push down gently when the tree is about half planted. Next, gently fill in the hole and push down to firm up the soil. Remember, you do not want to crush the root hairs, nor do you want the tree to have a hard time anchoring into the soil. If you are going to add stakes, do so while you can see the roots and avoid damaging them. Once the roots are covered, leave a depression all around the tree where water can gather and drain into the soil. After planting, soak the area with plenty of water. You can add mulch at this stage, but do not let it touch the trunk or choke the water basin.

Root Ball Trees Start out by digging up an area 5 times deeper and wider than the size of the root ball, and pay attention to where the roots meet the trunk of the tree. Measure from this location to the bottom of the root ball. Fill in the hole so that the juncture between the roots and the trunk will be just above the soil line once you are doing filling in the hole.

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For example, if the distance between the root ball and trunk is 2 feet, and the hole is 5 feet deep, you would fill in about 3 feet so that the root ball is at the proper depth in relation to the soil line. Before placing the tree in the hole, fill in the sides so that they create a saucer shape with a narrower bottom than top. This is also an ideal time to add stakes. Fill the hole with water so there is as much saturation as possible without excess standing water. Next, set the tree in the center of the lowermost portion of the hole. Be careful not to move the tree by its trunk or branches. Once the root ball. is in place, you can remove the burlap sack and wires. Work carefully so that you do not damage the roots or cause them to break off. Try to remove as much of the burlap as possible without disrupting the root ball.

Pack the original soil firmly in layers as you work. Try to avoid air pockets and also do your best to avoid packing so tightly that you break the hidden roots. After the hole is filled to just below

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where the roots meet the trunk of the tree, do not forget to leave a depression that can fill up with water. As with bare root trees, water thoroughly and then add mulch if desired.

Container Trees Start off with a hole at least 4 times wider and deeper than the container. Refill the hole so that the juncture between the trunk and roots is just below the soil line. This time, leave an additional six inches free of soil.

You will also need to create sloping sides as you did for the root ball. trees. In the lowest, center region, create a cone shape as you did for the bare root trees. Next, fill the hole with water in order to saturate the soil. Gently spread any free roots around the cone so that they will grow easily into the soil. Do not pack the soil tightly, but do try to avoid air pockets. Continue filling and gently packing the soil until the roots are covered. Use the same method as before to create a water depression, water the tree, and add mulch as needed.

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As with other tree types, never let mulch or soil touch the trunk or any area above where the roots meet the trunk.

Making Sure the Tree Takes Once the tree is planted, be sure to water on a regular basis so that it does not become dried out. Depending on rainfall in your local area, you may only need to water every 10 days. During the first year, it is also very important to prevent grass and weeds from growing in any area where tree roots may be growing and spreading. Aside from using the three-foot margin, you can also look at the branches of the tree to estimate the size of the hidden root system. Double that size and you should have a good safe zone where the tree can obtain plenty of water without grass or weeds soaking it up first. As you can see, planting trees comes with a variety of challenges that must be overcome if you want a healthy, thriving, productive orchard. If have to buy trees from a nursery, or even via mail order, make sure that you know how to ease transplant shock and encourage optimal growth. While you may get a tree to grow once in a while with a minimal amount of care, that is truly the exception rather than the norm. Make sure that you know exactly how to transplant new trees so that you can increase your odds of success.

15 Fatal Mistakes That People Make When Planting Trees Overall, planting tree is not an especially complicated task. On the other hand, there are some important preparations that people either overlook or do not carry out properly. Even if the tree happens to grow well for a year or two, any of these fatal mistakes will eventually lead to dead trees or sub part harvests. If you avoid these mistakes during the initial planting stage, you will enjoy better harvests in a shorter period of time.

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Choosing a Spot with the Wrong Lighting As with plants, you will find that some trees prefer full sunlight while others do better in partial or full shade. If you select a spot that receives too much sunlight, the leaves may curl up and die because they cannot keep enough moisture in the leaf system. A tree that needs more sunlight will die or do poorly in a shady area because it needs more light for growth and development. When considering lighting, make sure that you know the intensity of the sunlight all year round in the spot where you plan to plant the tree. Check for other trees in the area as well as places where buildings may be placed. Any changes that increase or decrease lighting can pose a serious problem for your trees.

Failure to Account for Other Trees Nearby Aside from changing the amount of light that newly planted trees receive, surrounding trees can cause other problems. In particular, tall, or well established trees may have root systems that actually reach the area where you intend to plant the new tree. In this case, the new tree will immediately suffer from lack of water and nutrients being absorbed by the surrounding trees. Even if the area is free of roots from other trees, do not forget that your new tree will also be sending roots outward. As such, intertwining root systems may cause one or both trees to be choked out in an underground battle that you will have an impossible time resolving. When it comes to considering other trees in the area, make sure that you know how large they will get as well as their expected root spread, and remember that trees in shallow soil will tend to develop even larger root systems that spread outward. In some cases, if the soil is too shallow to anchor these large trees, they may even fall over during floods and kill younger trees that experience soil disruption as a result. The best thing you can do is allow plenty of room between trees so that you avoid these and other problems.

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Not Paying Attention to Diseases Even though you may have been very careful during the tree selection process, that does not mean newly planted trees will remain disease free. If there are diseased trees from the same or a similar species in the local area, there is a chance that your new trees will also become infected. Before choosing trees to plant this spring, consult with the local cooperative extension or other tree experts in the area to find out which pathogens and infections are active. For example, if you were thinking about planting pear trees and find out that blight is expected to be a problem, it may be best to wait until the current infestation subsides. At the very least, even if a problem occurs later on, your trees will be older, stronger, and abler to survive. As time goes by, there is also a chance that researchers will find cures for tree diseases and pathogens.

Failure to Choose a Suitable Species Consider a situation where you live in a colder climate and want to plant peach trees. Even though the best and most prolific trees may be of interest, it’s better to settle for a slower or less prolific species that will survive in your local area. Focus on wild or heritage trees as a part of your long term survival plans. Even though some exotics may thrive in a range of climates, there is still nothing like trees that are accustomed to the area and have a range of adaptions to manage diseases and other problems. When choosing a tree species, do not forget that a healthy and productive survival orchard will include several different kinds of trees. If you choose species that do not match well, it can easily lead to a situation where none of the trees do well or diseases will be harder to prevent or get rid of.

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Photo source: pulpbits.net

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Failure to Prepare the Soil When you plant a garden, always start off by testing the soil for pH, soil packing, and nitrogen levels. When it comes to planting new trees, people tend to forget that some trees prefer acidic soil while others will not survive unless the soil has a high alkaline content. By the same token, some trees do well in heavy clay soil, while others require something much softer. Before you even dig a hole to plant a new tree, make sure that you know the composition of the soil where the tree will be planted. You should also test for several feet out from the planned planting area so that you can get some ideas about how the soil differs in areas where the roots are likely to grow. Even though you may not be adding fertilizer or other additives to the soil during the first year, choosing a spot with a natural soil fit for the tree species is very important. This information will also make it easier to decide which fertilizers to add later on and through the tree's life cycle.

HOW TO TEST YOUR SOIL pH Put a couple of teaspoons of your soil onto 2 different plates. Add a couple of teaspoons of vinegar to one plate. If it fizzes, your soil is alkaline and you don’t need to proceed to the next step. The more fizz you get, the more alkaline it is. If your soil doesn’t fizz, add a couple of tablespoons of distilled water to your other plate. You want the soil pretty muddy. Add a teaspoon of baking soda to the mix and stir. If it fizzes, your soil is acidic. The more fizz, the more acidic. If you get no reaction at all, your soil is neutral.

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Failure to Protect Bark and Roots Today, many people planting trees forget that some areas are natural foraging places for deer, rabbits, moles, woodpeckers, and other animals. While you may notice these animals very often, they can quickly ruin new trees if you do not protect the bark and roots as much as possible. If you have moles or other underground digging animals in the orchard area, you may need to create underground block walls to keep moles away from the trees. As the tree's roots spread out, there will come a time when you will have to remove those walls. By that time, the tree should be strong enough and big enough to survive a few root disruptions. Remember to prevent animals from chewing on the bark and branches. You can use bark guards and tapes that will deter rabbits, deer, and most other animals. Just make sure that you inspect under the guards on a routine basis to make sure excess water isn't getting trapped under the guard. The last thing you will want is to have the trunk rot or develop fungal infections because of excess moisture.

Disrupting the Root Ball If you choose to buy trees in burlap bags or containers, you may be tempted to try and loosen up soil around the root ball. Not only will you damage the outer roots, there is a good chance that you will break hidden roots away from the location where they join the trunk. Root ball may be very tightly packed, and that it is also very fragile. Avoid handling it as much as possible so that you do not disrupt or break the roots. Even if you have to cut into the root ball to alleviate container bound roots, it should be done with a minimal amount of disruption to the root ball. There is a big difference between bare root trees and those planted in some kind of container or sack. Bare root trees usually arrive with a minimal root structure that will not begin growing until

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the tree is planted. As such, you can move the roots around a bit without doing extensive damage or increasing the risk of transplant shock. On the other hand, since container trees have access to soil and water, the roots will be growing and developing even before the tree is actually planted back into the Earth. As a result, any disruption in the root system will cause more problems than it solves.

Failure to Account for Climate One of the worst things you can do when planting trees is fail to consider the climate and expected changes for your area. In some cases, trees that do not belong in a certain climate will blossom at the wrong time, or even die during their dormant stage because it is too cold for them, while other trees that need a good cold snap during the dormant period may succumb to all kinds of diseases or fail to produce blossoms if the weather is too warm. In these times, it can be a bit difficult to choose the best species of any given tree type for your survival orchard. For example, if you are planning to keep a number of honey locust trees, you may want to try some that are native to your area, as well as some that will better match climate changes expected in your area. When carrying out this task, just make sure that you have enough room between the trees to avoid infections spreading from weak trees to stronger ones. Alternatively, you may simply want to store away seeds from tree species better adapted to other climates, and then plant them when the climate is right in your local area. Just don't forget that the trees will take several years to develop before they bear fruit.

Lack of Proper Watering Many people think of trees as over sized plants. As such, they think of planting them as being little different from transplanting seedlings into a garden bed. Even though tree roots develop quickly, it is often not fast enough during that first year to meet all the tree's water needs. As a result, you will need to make sure that the tree has plenty of water after it has been planted. This

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may involve weekly, or even daily watering if the weather is too dry, or the species in question tends to need a lot of water.

When planting trees, you should never lose sight of how much water the tree will need even after it is established. Depending on your situation, it may not be possible to simply go on watering the tree year in and year out. In these situations, there needs to be enough rainfall or snowfall to meet the tree's growth needs without assistance from you. As with lighting, this is one of the most important areas that people either don't think about enough or fail to consider how it will change over years and decades.

Planting at the Wrong Time In general, you will find that many trees can be planted as soon as the ground is warm enough to dig into. That being said, there are also trees that are better planted in the fall, or even during the summer and winter months. Failure to plant trees at the right time will cause both serious and fatal problems with both root and leaf development.

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Together with planting at the wrong time for the species, it is also possible to plant specific trees at the wrong time. For example, if a tree already has buds and established leaves, it will die if you try to remove it from a container or burlap sack. If there is enough soil present, you may find it best to wait for the tree to go dormant in the fall and then plant it at that time.

Planting in the Wrong Weather There is no question that warm, sunny spring days are a delightful time to be outdoors working in the garden and planting trees. On the other side of the equation, trees truly require vast amounts of water and moisture when they are being planted. You will be best served by planting trees on cloudy, cool days when there is a good chance of rain. Aside from having more naturally moist soil to work with, trees planted at this time will also experience a boost in available nitrogen if rain happens to fall. If you think that rainwater provides a boost to your garden, then you are sure to appreciate what it can do for newly planted trees. Even though a tree looks dormant when you are planting it, development starts as soon as the roots touch soil and water. From this perspective, planting on a cloudy or even a rainy day can do more for newly planted trees than waiting for sunny, warm days. If the timing is right, you may also want to plant before or near the midpoint between the new moon and full moon since the underground water table will naturally rise as the moon exerts more gravitational pull on the local water table.

Not Taking Time to Bear Harvest into Account Have you ever set on a cold winter day drooling over all those pictures of gorgeous fruit and ornamental trees in seed catalogs? If so, then it can be very hard to remember that some trees can take years or even decades to produce a large harvest. During that time, you will have to carefully prune and fertilize the trees with little more to show for it than healthy leaves and maybe one or two pieces of fruit.

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When you plant trees, never forget that you are committing to decades of hard work. Even if your primary interests revolve around leaves for medicine, or wood for furniture, it can still take several years before you have enough suitable material to work with. If you give up too soon or avoid taking proper care of the trees, then you will make the fatal planting mistake of not following through on your original plans and goals. No matter whether you must deal with tree diseases, damage from fires, or other problems that set back your progress, never give up on your orchard or try to shorten the time table for a suitable harvest.

Not Taking into Account Underground Features As the human population grows, there is also an increased reliance on buried sewer pipes, water pipes, gas pipes, and power lines. When choosing a location for trees, never forget that roots from a single tree can extend for several yards from the main planting site. Make sure that tree roots do not encounter (and ultimately damage) buried pipes and power lines. Aside from causing damage to the tree depending on what leaks from the pipes, you may also have to pay for repairs to the pipes. Most areas have underground streams or sub surface water pools. If the pool or stream is not very big, then the tree may indeed have an excellent source of water to draw from. On the other hand, if the soil is shallow and tends to become water logged quickly, it can spell disaster for established trees. You really don’t want to put several years or even decades into an orchard, only to have the trees fall over because of an excessively rainy season. In many cases, knowing more about soil depth and water retention in the area will help avoid situations where the trees will be knocked over and uprooted.

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Planting Near Power Lines or other Structures There is no question that many people love to plant trees near their home so that they can enjoy shade from the tree. On the other hand, roots from large trees can easily breach foundations and cause all kinds of problems. In this case, not only will you have to spend enormous amounts of money to repair the building, you will also wind up cutting the tree down. To make matters worse, if your area experiences a hurricane or tropical storm, the tree may be knocked over and fall right on any building in its path. These are just a few of many reasons why it is a very bad idea to plant trees near buildings. As you may be aware, power lines and their maintenance tend to trump property owner rights. Typically, if the electric company sees branches from a tree interfering with power lines, they will cut the limbs down. If you have ever seen the half dead trees and excessively massacred limbs left behind, then you will realize why it is so important to keep your valuable trees well away from power lines.

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Not Taking Care of Seasonal Maintenance Even if you take care during the selection and initial planting stages, never forget that trees require seasonal maintenance for life. This includes mulching, fertilizing, watering, pruning, and getting rid of pathogens and diseases. You will also always need to re-asses the growing area in order to make sure that it is the best for the tree. If the environment becomes too shady, or too dry, you cannot simply move the tree and expect it to survive. That being said, you may be able to take cuttings that can be planted in a new location, or be sure to save the seeds so that they can be planted elsewhere.

*** On the surface, planting trees may look very simple, but many people forget about the most basic and simple rules in favor of achieving some other goal. For example, planting trees near a home may provide shade and character, however it will also cause many problems in the long run. Once your trees being to produce a viable harvest, you will be glad that you took the time to plant in the best possible location. Not only will you be able to look forward to even bigger and better harvests, you can also have peace of mind knowing that the trees you planted will live safely and do well for decades to come.

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What You Need to Know about Pruning and Trimming Trees Even though you may be an avid gardener, you may or may not give much thought to how fruit trees and other useful shrubs can best be used for long term survival needs. This may include using trees and shrubs for medicinal purposes, property protection, and for food. In many cases, these plants will actually grow better and produce more plant matter if they are trimmed or pruned from time to time. Since spring is one of the best times to prune and trim trees and bushes, you should start thinking now about the equipment you will need as well as how you will go about preparing trees and shrubs for the upcoming growing season.

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5 Reasons to Prune and Trim Your Trees and Bushes There is no question that billions of trees get along just fine in nature without anyone to prune them. On the other hand, time and again studies show that domesticated trees and shrubs produce larger fruits and tend to grow better over their lifespan. And if you are still looking for reasons to why you should prune trees and shrubs on a regular basis, we will give you some more:

1. Pruning Keeps the Trees Healthy Even the healthiest trees are bound to grow in such a way that disease or damage causes more harm than it should. For example, trees with a lot of branches rubbing together or growing towards the center will create a situation where bacterial, fungal, and insect infections will take hold and kill the tree. Pruning opens up air circulation in the branch areas of the tree so that it becomes harder for insects and pathogens to take hold.

2. Less Branches, More Sun and Light for Growing The more branches a tree has, the less sunlight will penetrate into leaves located in the central portions of the tree. Removing excess limbs or ones that serve to take away strength from the main areas of the tree actually allows the tree to receive more sunlight. This, in turn, makes it easier for the tree to produce larger fruit, more sap, or anything else that you may plan to harvest from it.

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3. Pruning Helps Keep Their Best Growing Pattern When trees grow, they do not always have an optimal branch pattern. Among other things, smaller branches may emerge to create forks in taller main branches. These “water spouts” act like suckers and can take away vital nutrients from vital branches that will be more inclined to produce buds and stronger leaves. In addition, water spouts can also very dangerous on larger trees because they can shear off in high winds or other situations that cause the water spouts to tear away from the main branch. Once the water spout is ripped off, it will leave a gaping hole for insects and infections to invade. On the other hand, when you trim off water spouts and cover them properly, the tree will form a scar in that location and the main branches will continue to grow normally.

4. Less Branches, More Food for What Is Left Just about every tree will produce “suckers” or shoots that will come up from the root area. This can be especially problematic in grafted trees because the suckers usually come up from below the graft location. As such, these suckers are from the original tree and can very easily choke out the grafted limbs. In addition, even if you are dealing with a non-grafted tree, suckers always take away vital nutrients from the main tree and can also cause an increased risk of trunk rot and other problems.

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5. Damage Control Done Right Even with careful pruning, tree limbs are bound to die while others may be damaged by animals or the weather. In some cases, “stubs” will be left behind where a branch was growing. If you leave these stubs in place, the tree will not form a scar in that location. Instead, the dead material will rot and make the perfect home for termites, canker, and other pests. Getting rid of stubs and dead limbs is truly one of the most important parts of tree pruning and should be done even if you are hesitant about other areas of pruning trees and shrubs.

Tools You Need for Pruning and How to Maintain Them Once you learn how to prune trees, you will find that it is not especially complicated. You will still need a proper set of tools so that you do not inadvertently cause more harm to the tree than good. Check the list below to see what the main tools that should be in your pruning kit are.

Hand Held Pruners These devices look almost like a cross between scissors and pliers. They are designed to be held in one hand. Use pruners to remove small twigs, suckers, or anything else that is too small for cutting.

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Before using pruners, make sure that they are as clean and sharp as possible. Dull blades will mash wood instead of cut it sharply through it. This, in turn, will make it harder for tree callouses to form, and may also make it easier for insects and pathogens to burrow into the wood left behind. Make sure that pruners are clean and free of debris from other trees or pruning jobs. Consider that a tree is a living organism just like you are. If you would not take a dirty needle to sew up a wound, then you should not use dirty tools to prune a tree. As with your own body, trees and shrubs will also have an increased risk of infection when living material beneath the bark is exposed to pathogens. A good one costs $10.99 or more on Amazon.

Loppers Loppers look similar to pruners in the sense that the working end looks like a cross between pliers and scissors. Unlike hand held pruners, loppers are designed to be held in two hands. They can be used for larger twigs and small branches. Depending on the size of the lopper, they can be used for twigs as small as ¼ inch in diameter or as large as ¾ to 1 inch in diameter. When using loppers, pruners, and other tools, remember that you must cut the branch at an appropriate angle. When using loppers, it can be very easy to forget this detail, especially if you have a lot of branches to trim or you are in a hurry. Always take your time when using loppers and do not forget to keep them clean and well sharpened. A good one is sold on Amazon starting from $25 per piece.

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Pruning Saws These saws have serrated blades that are designed to cut easily into the wood. They can be used for branches ¾ inch in diameter and larger. Do not try to use pruning saws to cut larger limbs that would be better managed with chain saws or equipment used by professional tree cutters.

Hedge Shears These shears are specifically designed for shrubs as opposed to trees. You can use them to shape shrubs as well as improve air flow within the bushes. If you have larger shrubs, you need to purchase different sized shears so that you have an easier time shaping each shrub. Needless to say, if you have an interest in sculpted topiaries or other forms of shrub sculpture, a different sized hedge shears are bound to be of interest to you. Buy them for $15 to $60 on amazon.com.

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Telescoping Poles No matter whether you purchase standard sized trees or “dwarf” versions, they are bound to get taller than you. In most cases, you may not want to prune trees because you don't want to climb up on a ladder. Telescoping poles alleviate this problem because you can simply attach pruning saws, loppers, and pruners to the pole and then prune as needed. When using telescoping poles, remember the debris is going to fall to the ground. Make sure that you wear safety glasses and other gear that will help prevent injuries. It will also be of immense benefit to make sure that you know where to stand so that you do not get hit in the head, neck, or arms. The cheapest telescoping pole that I found on amazon.com (the one that you see in the picture above) costs almost $32 plus shipping.

Chainsaws These can be used for larger limbs. Be very careful when operating this equipment. If you are trying to remove larger or heavier limbs, make sure that you know how to anchor them with ropes so that they do not fall on top of you, onto power lines, or onto a building.

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Even though a branch may not look very heavy when it is attached to the tree, it will have an enormous amount of force applied from gravity as it falls to the ground. What looked like a simple, minor limb to cut can easily kill your or bystanders. Considering this, if you have no experience with tree cutting, do not even bother with a chainsaw. You are better off calling an expert instead of risking your life and well-being. There are a lot of options on the market, with different power sources (gasoline, corded electric, battery), and different features. As for the price, the cheapest that I have found costs $45.98 on amazon, but remember that cheaper is not necessarily better.

Basic Guide for Pruning: 5 Rules You Need to Know Aside from determining which branches to remove (essentially suckers, dead branches, water spouts, stubs, rubbing branches, and weak forks), you will also need to make sure that you cut each branch properly. If you leave too much material behind, the tree will not be able to form a callous in the shortest period of time. This will increase the risk of insects and other pests invading through the open wound. But if you cut too close to the main branch, the tree will also have a harder time forming a callous. Here the basic things to keep in mind when pruning:

1. For each branch, make sure that you know exactly where the branch to be cut emerges from the branch or trunk that it is growing from. If you look carefully at the base of the branch to be cut, you should see a slight swelling either under or around the emerging branch. This area is referred to as the collar. If you look just above the collar where the branch emerges, you should also see a bark line or “bridge”. In some trees this area may be very thick and obvious, while in others it may not be much more than a rough looking

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line. When pruning, be careful not to cut into this collar or through/behind the bark bridge above the collar.

2. Regardless of the thickness of the branch, it is very important to make sure that you do not tear the bark during the process of removing the branch. Unfortunately, even a relatively thin branch can snap as it is cut, and then lead to bark tears on the parent limb. It is much better to cut the branch off a little bit at a time so that you do not do damage to the parent branch.

3. When removing sections of branch, cut slightly into the under section of the branch to be removed and then cut a notch in the top section. As you continue to cut through the top notch to meet the bottom one, you will have a lower risk of tearing the bark.

4. Once you draw close to the collar, do not forget to cut the stub left behind. When removing the stub, try to cut at an angle so that the top part is cut closer to the tree than the lower one.

5. After you are done pruning a tree, remove all debris from the area. There is nothing worse than leaving dying or dead branches around that will draw insects, bacteria, fungal infections, and other organisms that will attack a living tree once they take root in something dead nearby. If you have been removing diseased limbs, it will be best to burn them or dispose of them in such a way that disease bearing organisms cannot get back near the trees again.

Some Thoughts on Sealing Over the years, considerable controversy has emerged over whether or not pruning wounds should be covered with some kind of sealant. One side, manufacturers of sealing products claim that their products help prevent infections, parasites, and insects from digging into the wound and further damaging the tree.

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Unfortunately, these products are often made from petroleum and other harmful chemicals. In many cases, they can actually do more harm to the tree than good. This includes preventing the tree from making a callous and ultimately absorbing the wounded area. Once the sealant wears off or falls part, the tree may no longer try to form a callous, which means that insects and other pathogens will take hold and do serious harm to the tree. To avoid using sealants as much as possible:  Make sure that you know the best time of year to prune each species of tree of interest to you. In some cases, it may be best to prune near the end of winter, just before sap begins to rise in the tree. Remember that even though you may not see buds growing yet, the tree will actually start waking up before this point. Ideally, you should prune just before this time for certain trees. On the other hand, other trees may best be pruned in late fall or at the beginning of winter after the sap has returned to the roots.  Never leave stubs behind or tear the bark.  Use clean, sharp tools so that the cuts you make are not mashed or crushed. Depending on the situation, you may actually need to use some kind of sealant because there are certain diseases in the area. In this case, failure to provide some kind of covering is actually as bad as poor pruning technique. You can try making a DIY sealant however there are no “surefire” sealers that will work for every species. Here are some things to keep in mind if you choose to make your own sealant:

1. Try to avoid black or dark colors because they will absorb heat from the sun and burn the area beneath the seal.

2. Avoid petroleum products because they can poison the tree and slow healing 3. Make sure that the sealant does not trap moisture in and around the sealed area. Once moisture starts collecting, mold, mildew, and fungal infections can set in and do serious damage to the tree.

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4. Try using latex based solutions that can be removed easily if you see signs of trouble developing.

5. Make sure that you do not choose ingredients that have a smell that attracts insects or other pathogens. You may also need to choose ingredients that will mask the smell of cut wood.

TIP! For sealing the trimmed branches, mix 1 part raw linseed oil, 2 parts beeswax, and 4 parts powdered rosin.

Branch Training: An Alternative to Pruning and Trimming In a survival situation, you may be very inclined to think that every branch on a tree will have some purpose. For example, even for fruit trees, you may want to let side branches grow a bit so that you can cut them back and use them for firewood. If you are using trees for natural barriers or fences, then you will want to encourage thicker growth without bringing in other problems. You may find that training newly emerging tree branches onto certain kinds of wire or rope may actually help you solve a number of problems without having to resort to pruning. Here are the things you should consider for branch training:  standard, or non-dwarf fruit trees, non-hybrid, non-grafted trees are always going to be best for your survival orchard because you can get seeds from them that can be planted to start new trees.  While trees that are closer to wild variants are better for long term survival needs, they can also get very tall, which makes it hard to gather fruit and take care of them. On the

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other hand, if you start a tree from seed, then you can also easily train young branches along something similar to a clothes line. Since the branches will be trained along horizontally, they will not crowd the center or grow too tall upward. This means you can avoid pruning almost everything but dead branches. For younger trees that need more time to mature, it will also be easier to remove excess emerging fruit so that you will get a better harvest and still allow the tree to develop. Needless to say, as the tree gets older, or as droughts occur, being able to control emerging fruit will always be an important part of healthy orchard management. While pruning can make this easier to a point, there is nothing quite like having all the branches for the tree within easy reach.  If you are looking to create a strong defensive fence, you can do the same thing with thorny shrubs and make a much stronger central barrier. As an added bonus, you will find it much easier to trim these trained hedges.  When it comes to survival scenarios, you should never rely on just one method for propagating trees or any other plant. In this case, you should not just hope that you can plant a few seeds from a fruit tree and look forward to fruit in a few years. Getting tree cuttings to root and grafting are two important skills that you should master for any tree of interest to you. If you have trees trained along horizontal frames, it will be much easier to get at the smaller, new branches that tend to work best for both grafting and for rooting needs. You can also use these frameworks to practice without taking up a great deal of space in your yard or on your homestead. Tree and shrub pruning is a very important part of homesteading and prepping. Without pruning, damage from the weather and disease can kill trees that would otherwise produce fruit and natural barriers for decades, or even centuries. On the other hand, there are some ways to train trees that eliminate most of the need for pruning and also make it easier to manage trees later on in the growing season. As winter shifts into spring, think about how you are going to manage both new and existing trees so that you can prune with confidence and enjoy knowing that your trees will remain healthy and bountiful for decades to come.

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Resources Survivopedia Articles on Gardening 20 Early Spring Edibles: How And When To Grow Them 10 Spring Edibles To Look For In Your Backyard Gardening Basics: How To Test Your Soil Prep Blog Review: 5 Tips For Your Spring Gardening Prep Blog Review: Gardening Season Is Coming

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