From our years of experience with the handling of B & B material, we recommend the following procedures to ensure survivability and maintenance of quality.

Removal from the trucks

Vans - If a forklift is available to drive into the truck, the balls can be lifted directly on the forks. Otherwise, they will need to be dragged to the back of the truck utilizing hooks and chains. Note that the wire baskets are not designed with this in mind, so several hooking points may be required or, preferably, wrap a strap around the ball and pull on this. Note that the tops of the trees may be tied together during the loading process, so be watchful as the trees are pulled out.

Flatbeds - Several methods can be used for this. Either a loader with forks or a loader with straps. Often the only equipment available will be a loader with a bucket or a backhoe. These can be used but extra care is required to prevent causing damage to the trunk. Trunk protectors can prevent minor damage due to trunk-to-rootball contact, but sharp edges and heavy impacts will still cause damage. Certain species have particularly sensitive trunks and should be handled with extra care. Some examples are as follows: Acer Rubrum, Tilia, Acer palmatum, Cornus spp.

Dormant Handling - Before trees leaf out, the tops can remain tied up. If planting is not anticipated till after growth has started, it is best to untie the tops now, stand the trees up and cover the ball with a mulch which retains moisture and prevents freezing.

Summer Handling - Depending on the amount of growth and the prevailing temperatures, summer handling of B & B stock does not allow much margin for error. The trees will probably have lost moisture during transport, so immediately following unloading, water should be available to re-wet the rootball and keep the foliage cooler. The tops should be untied and the trees either planted immediately or stored upright in mulch with irrigation. Trees should not be allowed to stay lying down, tied up on asphalt as they will burn and desiccate. If necessary, trees can be laid down, untied and kept under sprinklers for a few days. It is important to elevate the tops enough so that leaves do not touch the ground or they will burn.

Once planted or placed in mulch, a foliar spray of anti-transpirant is recommended. We spray all trees shipped in leaf with this, prior to loading from June 1st onwards.

If trees are to be held in storage for more than a few weeks, the twine fastening the top of the basket should be loosened to prevent girdling. Also, the trees may benefit from an application of up to 2 ozs per tree of Urea fertilizer. It is desirable to leave the plastic trunk protector in place during hot weather to prevent sun scald. It should not be left on indefinitely, however, as humidity build up inside can cause disease problems.