CHAPTER IV 



PLANTING AND TRANSPLANTING 



Reasons for Transplanting. Transplanting, in its general defini- 

 tion, is the operation of taking a plant up from the soil and planting 

 it again in a new location, where it is expected to continue normal 

 growth. The term "plant" is applied to trees, shrubs, vines, peren- 

 nials, and annuals. Correct transplanting implies that a plant in its 

 new position should be left in proper posture, and firmly imbedded in 

 good soil. In addition to placing plants in new and permanent loca- 

 tions to have them more effective, or where they may develop to better 

 advantage, it is often necessary to move plants from masses in order to 

 prevent crowding and to provide more space for the remaining plants to 

 develop. This is true especially with nursery-grown stock, and in 

 plantations also which are made dense at the outset in order to pro- 

 duce an immediate effect. 



Spacing of Plants. One of the important factors in successful 

 plantings is the correct spacing of plants at the time of transplanting. 

 Every plant requires space in which to develop normally. The result 

 of close planting is eventually an overcrowded condition and a lack of 

 healthy, well-developed foliage, flowers, and fruit. The more vigorous 

 specimens crowd out the weaker ones and unless a "thinning-out" 

 process is adopted, the mass effect becomes quite uneven and ragged. 



The reason for most overcrowded plantings is the desire on the part 

 of the designer to obtain an immediate effect. Too often our im- 

 patience and unwillingness to wait until plants mature and "fill 

 out," develops many errors. Three years after transplanting is the 

 normal period required for shrubs, two years for perennials, and eight 

 to ten years for average nursery-grown trees to make the necessary 

 growth to overcome the bare effect of the border or row of trees when 

 planted in small sizes. 



The question often arises as to whether or not it is better to use 

 average-sized nursery stock (three to four-year-old stock) or to use 



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