Where to plant Oak Saplings

[vikingmeatwad]

I have 3 smaller white oak and 1 red oak saplings to plant.

Looking at the picture do you have any ideas where they might do best?

I was thinking a couple at the bottom of the left hill and a couple behind the fish house since they will be large trees after awhile.

I want to plant more trees into that hill as well as towards the back where those pines are behind the fish house. Any ideas for native trees and would do well there?

Thanks

[forester]

The red oak would probably do best in the driest spot. Check out a couple of websites about how to plant trees properly. http://www.extension.umn.edu/gardeninfo/components/info_trees.html . The HSOforum here is probably a good place to start. Probably not to big an issue but you may also want to think about how close you plant to the road/hill. Considering the size of the trees it may not be much of issue, but often cities/road departments have rules or regulations againist what can happen in a right of way.

Good luck with the plantings

[toughguy]

looks pretty shady in the middle. I would go up by the road (not too close) and hope one of them survives the salt. Bottom of the hill and along the fence wouldn't be bad either

[fishinsfun]

Forester is right about the red oak and the link has tons of good info. One correction though FYI, the trees in back are a species of spruce or less likely fir (tough to tell given all the non-native trees nurseries sell), not pine.

[vikingmeatwad]

Thanks everyone, I checked out that link from the UofM before but they aren't too specific.

Do you think these trees would do allright in the hill?

Maybe I will just plant 2 in the hill and 2 near the back behind the fish house.

If you guys have any input on what kind of trees to plant on that hill or I might move that grass area by the fish house to more of a woods.

Thanks

[fishinsfun]

What aspect is the hill? It looks south maybe south east facing. For trees the basics are amount of light and soil moisture. I'm guessing the hill is fairly dry and has lots of sun on it throughout the summer. So the red oak will do better than the white there. Both of those species will do just fine there, but for highest success put the red oak higher on the hill and white lower.

I am a northern guy so I am partial to those trees, for your situation I would suggest a combination of deciduous and conifer (which will block the road in the winter as well); oaks are a natural choice as you have (could include bur oak), Kentucky coffeetree are interesting, but they have large seed pods that you may not want scattered around. I would try red juniper on the hill as well, drought resistant and sun-loving. Jack pine would also do fine on the hill, white spruce lower down the hill. Just my two cents, like I said, I am a northern forester.

[pike79]

vikingmeatwad,If your looking for something fast growing trees a row of red pine on the hillside,and maybe some cottonwoods along the bottom.Those trees are native and some gov't offices have seedlings pretty cheap this time of year.They usally cost 1-2 dollars a tree.

[half-dutch]

Check any local regs before you plant cottonwoods, they aren't legal to plant in many areas. In the bottom areas, if it is as moist as it appears, red maples might work well, and on the hill sugar maples might also, both are also native, and are gorgeous in the autumn.

For supply check also with the National Arbor Day Foundation for their stocks and/or with local major nurseries to see if you can order "liners". Although those are usually only available to wholesale customers, you might be able to get a local nursery to special order them for you from someone like Baileys. It is getting a little late in the season for liners to continue to be available this year, though.

[Jameson]

...I want to plant more trees into that hill as well as towards the back where those pines are behind the fish house. Any ideas for native trees and would do well there?...

Black Hills Spruce, Serviceberry, and Chokeberry should all be tolerant of the salt and do ok there. Could try some moderately tolerant plants like Dogwoods, Lilacs, and Birch, too.

Complete the row of Spruce. Below the Spruce across the hill put in a layer of a mix of bunches of Birch, Serviceberry, and Lilacs. Than another layer of toward the bottom of the hill of Chokeberry, and Dogwoods.

In a few years kill the grass in the yard and plant to white dutch clover.

[vikingmeatwad]

Thanks again everyone. I have my Oak saplings planted with some cypress mulch around them (Not touching the bark)

I will water them in the AM and look at what trees I will be planting.