I am brand new here, so I will have many questions. Please bear with me. My "gardening" has always been flowers. Recently I did something very out of character and bought several shrubs and trees. I have no idea how best to transplant them! My first concern is the Willow Tree. It's about 10-15" tall. I do know enought to plant it near my pond, but that's all. How big and how deep do I dig the hole? A friend said to put bone meal in the soil at the bottom of the hole. Is this a good idea?
Willows, as you know, are water lovers and yours will be happy near your pond. They shed a lot--leaves and little twiggies--so they are not the neatest tree to have around. However, they are graceful, relatively quick-growing, and add movement to the garden with the wind wafting through the branches. Bone meal won't hurt--but I don't think it is necessary. If your soil is moderately good the willow will grow nicely. Dig a hole half again as deep as the pot the willow is in and twice as wide, and fill the bottom of the hole with loose soil. Set the tree in the hole, and the dirt line on the tree ought to be even with the soil. If not, either add or remove soil in the bottom until the tree is setting in the hole as it was in the pot. Surround the root ball with loose soil, water in well, and finish filling the hole (leaving the soil slightly mounded, an inch or two is enough, because the soil will settle over the next couple of days.) Keep the tree watered but not soggy for a week, then water more infrequently. You'll have to use your judgement, depending on how much rain you get and how quickly your soil drains.
Unless you have lots of room, don't plant the willow, if it is a weeping willow. They thrive on WET and will grow their roots right to the sewer, water, downspout, etc. lines. But in about 15 - 20 years you will need to be chopping it down if the wind doesn't blow it down first. Make sure you have room and it is exactly what you want or need before planting. I would never plant another one.
Our home is on 40 acres and I am planting it about 150 feet from the house and septic. Do you think that is far enough away?
Good luck with your shrubs and trees. I've found that they're a lot easier to grow than flowers and add height and structure to the garden.
