Help - can my soil be improved enough to plant a tree ASAP, using what's in my yard?

I have a tree-planting version of Apollo 13 right now: time crunch to get 2 trees in the ground before they die but with limited resources to try and make it work...anyone wanna help me see if I can get my trees planted using only what resources I've got on hand with a very limited time frame? ^_^

The story:
I need to plant 2 small fruit trees (just got them a couple weeks ago, pre-purchased them a while back from a friend who was growing a cutting for me). I had planned to set things up nicely for planting over the last year but, well, illness and no job = no energy and money to get amendments and...you get the picture.

So, here's what's on my little Apollo 13 yard rocket:
- two small trees to be planted - they need slightly better soil than native, but not by a lot, just 'not as crappy as I have.'
- heavy clay/hardpan soil in the area they are going to go in
- some sand, gravel, small rocks, and larger rocks (most 6-8 inches across of less) that can be used in and around planting area
- a small bit of homemade compost and could probably make periodic compost tea from plant waste from cooking
- a lot of hard and soft wood branches (newly cut and some on the ground for over a year).
- a lot of weeds and bunch grasses and some leaf litter (mostly dry now, but some are still green) that I can chop up and use
- water that I can irrigate the site with
- a little chelated iron I have left from other gardening.
- a small wood chipper, digging tools, and plant chopping tools
- oh, and pee. I am completely willing to pee on my trees.
- Oh, and I have NO earthworms (dirt is literally too hard for them), so I have no worm casings, and have to plan for there to be no worms eventually settling into the dirt unless I put them in later after saving up to buy some.

That's all I have to work with.

Any suggestions for a way to improve the soil enough for the trees to survive planting?  Any ideas of what I could do with the limits I've got? I know there are better ways to do this over time, but the trees are not looking great so I need to get them in the ground ASAP, you know? And might be fun to experiment anyway, honestly.

I was thinking of adding some sand to try and lower the density. Some chelated iron because the soil seriously has low iron. Was going to make and add mulch after the planting, and maybe dig in some of the compost (I have a garden too that I use it for, so I'd rather not, if I can avoid it).

But when thinking of what else to add INTO the soil, I'm not entirely sure.

I know wood chips need nitrogen to break down so it's not recommended to put them in the ground WITH a plant at first, since they deplete the nitrogen for a while, but I have questions.

If I add extra nitrogen to the soil for the first couple years (ahem...again, I can pee), would that be enough to accommodate the extra nitrogen needs for long enough to help the trees live until the wood chips have broken down and the soil is richer?

Does it take less time if I make wood chips of wood that's been laying on the ground for a year or two (my climate is VERY dry, so they aren't rotted, just very desiccated), or does it not matter if it's green and new vs. dry and old? Do hard woods or soft wood trees take varying amounts of nitrogen to break down, or just different amounts of time?

Do grasses and smaller plants deplete nitrogen the same way, or as much, as wood chips do, or would they do better in the soil?

Does adding iron have any impact of soil improvement in terms of impacting how things break down or anything? I have very little technical know-how of some of the process, but thought I'd ask in case there was some well-known issue that I'm just ignorant of, you know?

So yeah, I know enough to see some pitfalls (probably not all) but not have very many answers. Any ideas from people much more experienced than me on if I might be able to squeak by and get these trees to live if I plant them?

I appreciate any and all information or ideas ya'll can give me!

Hi Shauna,

Compost?  Wood chips?  It sounds like you have basics right there.

Don’t worry about the nitrogen.  The chips will break down on their own just fine.  But having them on the ground can only improve the soil.  I would say get those trees in the ground right away and spread compost on top, covered by a thick (I like 6 inches to 1 foot) layer of wood chips spread about 3x the diameter of the root ball.

So I say go for it!  I really think you have all you need.  Let us know how things work out.

Eric

I would plant trees into native soil with no improvements, and topdress anything you add. The only exception is poor drainage less than 2ft above high water table. Keep any mulch or top dressing 6”+ from trunk, and keep the root flare just above the soil line.

thank you!  All righty, I will just get those suckers into the ground and see how things go, thanks!

Yeah mate,

As Long as you also have a shovel, Your fine!

Firstly what this, to get an idea,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-p2vflRnj4

from this video you should have an idea and then use what you have!

Even after you have planted the trees you can still ad loads of wood chip and cow manure after.
And that will have you set.

Mate its going to be fine!
And if you watch the video your going to be a legend on the day!

Take care mate,

I do like Ben said, I never amend holes I put trees in.  If they can't grow in the native soil, what happens when they get to the edge of the hole?  I see trees growing all the time out of the side of rock cliffs.  Surely your soil is better than that.  I just plant them, and add whatever I have to the surface of the soil.  Nature and her minions will take care of the rest.

Though they are not on your list, Shauna, dried beans may be in your pantry. The old timers that advised me on tree planting out here in this part of New Mexico, where caliche is the dominant subsoil, said to throw pinto beans into the bottom of the hole (about a cup or more depending on the size of the hole). Use your unamended soil as your fill and tamp with your boot. Keep your tree-well stones as wide as your drip line to expand the root growth, widening it as the years go by. The beans will sprout when moisture hits and the roots breakup the soil until those beans ultimately die and break down underground thus adding nutrients to your soil from below. The tap root of your tree will reach into these nutrient rich spaces. This has worked well for me: the fruit trees are thriving.

So they sprout underground? Idon'thave caliche but I have the next worst soil on the earth... I will have to try that!

I planted 3 fruit trees into some prison-harsh soil this year. They are still alive it seems.

Eric Hanson wrote:Hi Shauna,

Compost?  Wood chips?  It sounds like you have basics right there.

Don’t worry about the nitrogen.  The chips will break down on their own just fine.  But having them on the ground can only improve the soil.  I would say get those trees in the ground right away and spread compost on top, covered by a thick (I like 6 inches to 1 foot) layer of wood chips spread about 3x the diameter of the root ball.

So I say go for it!  I really think you have all you need.  Let us know how things work out.

Eric

Based on my experience planting trees in the high desert of southern Utah I think Eric's advice is spot on.  I would add to NOT use the rocks or gravel as they do not hold moisture and in the summer the absorb heat, even underground, and will dry out and burn the roots.
When you plant the trees if you can place a 2" or 3" piece of pipe (PVC is fine) vertically in the hole a couple feet away from the center of the tree it will be helpful for deep irrigation.  The pipe should be 2 or 3 feet long and drill a couple holes in the pipe every few inches.  When needed place the hose in the pipe and let it slowly soak into the ground, just a trickle of water.  The pipe allows the water to reach the lower area of the roots and the holes in the side of the pipe let the water seep into the upper areas as the lower areas get soaked with water.  When the water starts bubbling out the top the ground is well soaked.

To be truthful Dan, I've never actually seen what goes on underground. But this is the method locals taught me to break up the hard ground by people who have some nice old orchards. In addition to providing channels for root growth, I have another theory that, since legumes are natural sources of sulphur, the rotting underground beans provide sulphur that breaks down caliche or the calcium carbonate in the hard pan. This enables the roots to penetrate through the cement-like stuff into moist river sand (I've dug through to find it). Furthermore, the sulphur allows the plant to take in the iron that is in the soil but blocked by calcium carbonate, that phenomenon in desert soils that results in super hard impermeable, high pH pale dirt. A soil scientist like Bryant RedHawk could probably explain it. Anyway, sulphur helps and maybe the pinto beans provide the sulphur. Congratulations on the success of your trees, Dan.

We always put trees in a well that has something halfway resembling soil with bone meal mixed in. This gives them a boost when they are getting established, along with a little more water retention. A layer of mulch on top also helps. Once they have "caught" they get less love and attention. My 2c.

Hi,  Something I learned with my trees. Stabilize the rootball from shock and force the roots to grow outward. I water at the edge of the root ball and outward.  Also tea fertilizer is great like you mentioned. I did have one clay spot so hard it broke my pick axe. I amended the soil with a little sand but not much.

But when thinking of what else to add INTO the soil, I'm not entirely sure.

😬

My opinions on planting trees:

Amend the soil surface, not inside the hole.  Do not amend the soil in the hole with stuff.  Why?  see note* below.

Water is your limiting factor, as I see the word "desert" in your profile.  Water is the conduit for nutrients.  Visit the trees to check up on them.  If unable to visit and water, try surrounding it with mini earthworks and diverter channels to get more water to the tree.  Pit planting methods exist, too.

Don't pee directly on young trees.  Water it down or go a ways from it until it is older so it doesn't get burned when it is young.

Dig a $10 hole for a $1 dollar tree.  Get those roots out nice and wide.  If it is a $50 tree, dig a $500 hole :)

Don't forget to plant to the appropriate depth with respect to the root flare matching the original level.

Wood chips are great.  Smother the competition with wood chips.  Just don't bury the tree.  Keep the mulch clear of the trunk to prevent rot, and ensure that the soil is able to breathe still.  Soil is a living community after all, so it needs oxygen, too.

Roots need oxygen, too.  So think about decompaction and loosing it up as you dig your hole.  Also, when it rains, will the tree drown, or will it have good drainage?  

Build a microclimate.  Larger rocks, mounds, and mulch could help here for windbreak/suntrap.  Cardboard or burlap or whatever is available, really, to block harsh winds.

Remember critter protection: nibblers, rabbits, deer, etc.  Dead brambles, wire mesh.

The purpose of staking is for root stabilization.  If the roots are stable and will be stable in the wind enough that the tree won't fall over, no staking is required.

Maybe sunscald is an issue depending on where the trees were sourced from originally?

Lastly, there are plenty of desert tree-planting techniques in Mollison's PaDM!

*Note: Here's a note of caution, courtesy of this free Tree Steward's Manual on page 47...
"Do not fill the hole with mulch, compost, gravel or other soil amendments. Research indicates that over amended soil in the planting hole disrupts drainage and discourages roots from growing into the surrounding soil."

I like the analogy Mike McGrath of the “You bet your garden” podcast makes between trees in amended planting holes and coddled young adult offspring. After they get out of school, if we give them a nice free place to stay in our house with all the video games and gadgets they could want, should we be surprised if they never leave and learn to support themselves?

This is a very interesting topic.  Unfortunately for you Shauna you have opened a can of worms.  I hope it doesn't discourage you from planting your trees.  I can't tell you how much I have read and videos I have watched on how to plant trees.  So many times I think yes this is sound logic, I will do it that way.  Then something different will come to my attention, and I think ok maybe this is better.  Gardening, no matter if it's trees, veggies, or flowers is an adventure.  It requires getting to know your land and weather.  learning what you can, and mostly just doing it.  There aren't many "right", or "wrong" answers.  For me I live in a very dry area, with lots of hard clay soil.  I have tried several variations of what has been suggested.  I still haven't found any one that I say to myself this is the best method for me.  So I still keep trying new, or change up old ways.  In my way of thinking it makes sense with my hard soil to not dig a round hole.  I have a heck of a time not digging a round hole.  I just cant be a square digger, it's a flaw, what can I say?  To solve this problem I dig notches in my circle.  it ends up looking like a *.  The only other method I do every time is add a thick layer of mulch on top well past the drip line.  I try to add wood chips to every tree every year.  I make sure the wood chips don't touch the trunk of the tree.  Not only do the wood chips help hold moisture, but they improve the soil and add life to what started out looking like dead soil.  For me if I had 3 trees, I would try 3 different methods.  Some will think I'm wishy washy, but I think its more I just don't know what's the best way.  The tree will grow in the native soil, so don't amend. Sounds logical to me.  Amend the soil because the tree will go through shock of being transplanted and is a baby that isn't established so it needs a little help getting started.  Opposite logic, still makes sense.  Which one is right? Intelligent people who know what they are talking about can make a perfectly good argument on why one or the other method is the best option.  It comes down to being willing to throw caution to the wind and just do it.  It's harder with trees, because they are expensive, and take a long time to become productive, so most of us want to do it right the first time.  You have gotten lots of great tips and advise, so I will wish you luck, we can all use a little of that.

Oh thank you, everyone, so much.  The majority of my plants are either native or very desert/drought/heat hardy, but these two babies are really the first that are not as hardy as the rest and all of a sudden I was thinking that nothing I knew could possibly be the same and I was going to kill these two trees off and life would be over, LOL.  

Thank you all for helping, seriously.

Amy Gardener wrote: The old timers that advised me on tree planting out here in this part of New Mexico, where caliche is the dominant subsoil, said to throw pinto beans into the bottom of the hole (about a cup or more depending on the size of the hole).

Okay, this is fantastic and thank you so much for sharing it. I grew up in NM!  I still have friends and family and I am completely sharing this idea with them. And on top of that, a lot of my native trees in my yards are legumes and I have TONS of dried legumes hanging off of one of my trees that I completely forgot about, so don't even have to buy and beans, LOL.

Douglas Alpenstock wrote: We always put trees in a well that has something halfway resembling soil with bone meal mixed in.

I am really curious if anyone else has used something like this in an area like mine. The soil here is so naturally high in calcium that it sometimes inhibits some of the nutrients the plants can uptake, from what I understand. So I know a number of gardeners here won't use bonemeal or add eggshells to compost because of this, but I don't honestly know if bone meal or eggshells actually have enough calcium to be a problem, or if it's just a worry folks have that is based on partial understanding, you know?

I'm really curious if anyone has any idea if bone meal is a good idea in high calcium soil.

George Yacus wrote: ...Don't pee directly on young trees.  Water it down or go a ways from it until it is older so it doesn't get burned when it is young.

Ha, thanks - this one I got, LOL.  Been using pee for trees for a bit now, but knew to water it down, and if I did NOT know, this would have saved my trees! ^_^.  And thank you for all the other tidbits of info as well.

And definitely in this climate, water is a big limiter. Heat and an extremely low humidity level kind of round it out so trees desiccating and dying off due to the heat is frustratingly high. But I have a good spot for these two trees, thankfully. The heat is actually one reason they are getting crappier soil, rather than some of the areas where I've had things growing for a while and improving the soil: I have what I hope will be a good micro climate set up for these two with some surrounding desert hardier trees and shrubs, it's just that the soil is still crummy. Crossing fingers this will work well for them!

The soil here is so naturally high in calcium that it sometimes inhibits some of the nutrients the plants can uptake, from what I understand. So I know a number of gardeners here won't use bonemeal or add eggshells to compost because of this, but I don't honestly know if bone meal or eggshells actually have enough calcium to be a problem, or if it's just a worry folks have that is based on partial understanding, you know?
I'm really curious if anyone has any idea if bone meal is a good idea in high calcium soil.  

Bone meal adds phosphorus and this is not the remedy for calcium buildup that prevents nitrogen uptake and other issues.

This helpful article explains caliche / calcium issues in desert soil and how to manage them:
https://cals.arizona.edu/extension/ornamentalhort/landscapemgmt/az_climate_soil/calichemgmt.pdf

The local strategy of adding beans to the planting hole could provide a two-fold benefit: adding them to the bottom of the hole breaks up the calcium-hardened soil and adds the sulphur that helps remediate the calcium problem.

Absolutely, local soil chemistry dictates the needs. All of us from halfway across the globe have found successful methods -- for our locations. Naturally, we are passionate about that.