Tree Care and Field Handling

Observe tree care and handling practices. Poor handling will contribute to tree mortality or poor vigor. If you see poor practices, take contract action to assure conformance. Work with your CO to remedy the situation.

Pay attention to:

• Tree wrapping (if required)—Wrapping must occur in a cool, shaded area where trees are protected from heat or drying conditions. Roots must be kept moist. Inspect the tree wrapping to assure that it meets contract requirements. If a water or slurry dip is required, assure that all trees in the bundle are moistened before being put into the planting bag or set out for wrapping. Wraps should still be damp when they are placed in the planting bag.

• Water dip (if required)—If trees are to be pulled from tree boxes and dipped in water before being put in the planting bags, make sure that all the roots are moist. If too many trees are in a bundle, trees in the center of the bundle may not be moist. Protect the trees from heat and wind when the planting bags are being filled.

• Tree handling—Trees must be handled gently to prevent damaging their roots and must be kept moist and cool. Be sure that the contractor is not trimming the roots, unless the contract allows the contractor to do so during wrapping.
  
  
• Storage of tree boxes—Do not expose tree boxes to the sun or wind. Boxes may be stored in insulated truck canopies, under tarps in the shade, or in similar conditions, so long as the boxes stay cool. Boxes that have not been wrapped should be closed except when the planting bags are being filled with trees. Dormant trees that have not been acclimatized should be cooler than 45 degrees. Trees that have been acclimatized should be planted relatively quickly, usually within 24 hours. Actively growing trees, such as those used during fall or summer planting, should be kept cool. Trees can be warmer than 45 degrees Fahrenheit without harm, but only if the tree boxes are kept open and the trees are watered. Measure the temperature inside the tree box or planting bag throughout the day.

• Care while trees are in the planting bag—Monitor trees in the planting bags to make sure their roots stay moist (wrap them if necessary). Ways to minimize drying include putting trees in the bags more frequently, using insulated planting bags, and avoiding planting during the heat of the day. Do not overfill the planting bag. Roots will be damaged when trees are pulled from the planting bag if the bag is too full or if the wraps are too tight.
  
  
• Careless treatment—Do not allow planters to lie on planting bags that have trees in them. Do not expose trees to heat, gas, oil, or other toxic materials.
  
  
• Exposing roots—During planting, minimize the time that roots are exposed to air. Roots will be damaged if they are allowed to dry. Have the planter remove one tree at a time from the planting bag, and only after the planting hole has been prepared. Do not allow planters to carry exposed trees between holes. After the hole has been prepared, the tree should be planted promptly to assure that the soil in the planting hole stays moist.
  
  
• Stashed trees—Planters should plant all trees issued to them unless they return the trees to the Government. Watch for behavior or indications that trees are being stashed—this practice is strictly prohibited. In the past, some planters have hidden bundles of trees under stumps or have planted more than one tree in a hole.
  
  
• Specifications—All trees that are planted should meet specifications for root length, top height, root condition, and so forth. The contract should state that planters should return substandard trees to the Government. If the contract does not require that substandard trees be returned to the Government, you may not be able to distinguish between a tree that was altered by the contractor (root stripped) and one that was provided in that condition. Substandard trees may include trees that are too small, trees that have poor root development, and trees that have long tap roots, among other characteristics. If the contractor plants a substandard tree, it must be planted properly. Trees with long roots should not be planted with a J root (a root that is bent in the shape of a "J" in the planting hole).