ABSTRACT 7th International Symposium on Environmental Concerns in Rights-of-Way Management
TITLE:	Planting Trees in Difficult Sites
AUTHOR(S):	Harvey A. Holt - hholt@fnr.purdue.edu Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Purdue University W. Lafayette, IN, USA Rita L. McKenzie Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Purdue University W. Lafayette, IN, USA Richard D. Dirks Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Purdue University W. Lafayette, IN, USA
Constructed landscapes are difficult places for trees to grow. Trees planted on berms, highway interchanges, and other right-of-way sites face unfavorable growing conditions. The soil, often obtained from sub-soil horizons, is poorer in quality and has been compacted by heavy earth-moving equipment. Our experimental location, a newly constructed golf course berm, offered a unique opportunity to examine 12 treatment effects on 5 species of 1,300 newly planted trees. The species are Acer saccharum (sugar maple), Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash), Liquidambar styraciflua (sweetgum), Liriodendron tulipifera (tulip poplar), and Quercus palustris (pin oak). Above ground treatments included two surface areas of shredded landscape bark mulch; composted yard waste; line-clearance tree trimmings; earthworms in the planting hole with mulch; Biobarrier (geotextile with trifluralin impregnated spots) covered with mulch; and glyphosate (Roundup) repeated throughout the summer. Below ground treatments included DieHard, MycorTree, Turface, Soil Moist, and Doggett liquid fertilizer (12-24-12). The survival rate following the second growing season was 57% for all five species. Green ash has the highest survival rate and tulip poplar the lowest regardless of treatment (91% and 18%, respectively). Survival rates and shoot growth are species dependent, but the most favorable results are with the above ground treatments. Ref#: Abs-1-158