Gilman, E.F., T.H. Yeager and D. Weigle

1996

Fertilizer, irrigation and root ball slicing affects Burford holly growth after planting

J. Environ. Hort. 14 (3): 105-110

Dwarf burford holly (Ilex cornuta `Burfordii Nana') fertilized with 22.1g N/container/yr of nitrogen during production in the nursery generated more new shoot weight but less root weight after transplanting to a landscape than those receiving 14.8g N/container/yr. Slicing the root ball at planting, compared to not slicing, resulted in comparable regenerated root weight but reduced new shoot number, new shoot dry weight and new shoot:regenerated root dry weight ratio when irrigation was not applied daily after transplanting. Although irrigation frequency did not impact total weight of regenerated roots into landscape soil, more roots grew from the bottom half of the root ball when plants were irrigated periodically after planting than when plants received daily irrigation. Plants irrigated other than daily produced fewer shoots and less shoot weight than those receiving irrigation daily after transplanting. When plants were without irrigation for 4 or 6 days in the first week after transplanting, those planted without the nursery container on the root ball were more stressed (more negative xylem potential) than those planted with the container still on the root ball. However, two weeks later, plants without the nursery container were less stressed due to root growth into landscape soil.

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