photography / Diane Sagers Evaluate what trees would be the best fit for your yard. Elm trees are difficult because the branches are brittle and break easily. They also scatter leaves and have a tendency to send up shoots from the roots.

Diane Sagers

CORRESPONDENT

What a summer it has been. Those who stayed in the valley have suffered with their plants through the season in weather that was very hot and very dry. As we would expect in September, things seem to be settling down. The weather is cooler (translate that to "less hot") and we've even had a thundershower or two. And, of course, we also had a major wind storm that has people re-thinking their tree selections.

You have survived, of course, and many of your plants have too, but this is a good time to look them over. It is an excellent time to take a drive and look at the trees around the area and get a feel for those that have best survived both the hot sun and severe storms. We may not repeat this weather pattern any time soon, but neither a hot, dry summer nor strong winds are unprecedented here. It could well happen again during your trees' lifetimes.

You may notice dozens of trees bearing leaves that have turned brown to some extent. They may be brown just on the edges, or most of the leaves may have dried up. For the most part, thicker leaves withstand hot weather the best and those trees look the best now.

After the storm, you are certain to see broken trees or large gaping areas where trees were growing placidly a couple of weeks ago. Take note of those trees that still look very good in areas that were heavily damaged by wind. They might be a good option to avoid wind damage problems in the future.

Leaving the storms and heat behind, other considerations are worthy of some attention in sprucing up your landscape and choosing new trees to plant.

As new growth enlarges shrubs, trees and other woody plants, they may be spreading to houses, fences or other structures. Maybe that grouping of new little plants is growing into each other. Don't wait to resolve the problem. It is easier to remove any extras now while they are young than wait until they are mature.

On the other hand, perhaps you would like a more mature specimen to balance out your yard. As fruit or leaf loads spread branches on fruit trees, you might realize that there may be some dormant season pruning in order.

You might determine that you need to plant some trees and shrubs, and now is actually the best time to plant woody plants. There are some pluses for looking for woody plants now.

You won't find bare-root plants at this time of year, but there is a wide selection of well-rooted trees and shrubs in pots at nurseries. You can look the plants over now and get a good idea of what kind of condition they are in.

Nurseries this time of year are not so swamped and you can probably find someone qualified to help you find suitable plants and advise you on planting and care. Another advantage is sometimes nurseries will discount some of their stock because they don't want to hold it through the winter. However, don't make your choice strictly on price. Planted and cared for correctly, you will live with that tree for a very long time. Removing a plant that was a mistake is time consuming, labor intensive and expensive. Select the right tree for the site considering soil, moisture and tree characteristics.

Fall is an excellent time to plant a tree. The weather will gradually cool so the stress on the top portion of the trees or shrubs is lower than the summer months. The soil stays warm for some time even after we get a frost, so the roots continue to develop in the ground replacing any that are damaged in digging and transplanting after the top goes dormant. Root growth remains active until the soil freezes.

Your period of tender loving care is reduced, too. You will need to water thoroughly for a few weeks, and then hopefully Mother Nature will take over and supply the moisture the plants will need. If you place plants under a roof overhang, it may block rain and snow before it reaches the soil. In that case, a little winter watering may be in order.

Tree staking is one of those "iffy" things. To stake properly, tie the tree at one point that is fairly high so the trunk can flex. Research has shown that a freestanding trunk develops a larger, stronger size than one that is secured in two or more places. If you stake a tree too securely, it doesn't have to adapt to winds and the trunks are not as strong. On the other hand, if you don't stake it, it may succumb to wind damage before it gets established. Weigh the options based on the prevalence of wind in your area.

Plant a tree in the fall, and it will soon lose its leaves. The winds won't have as strong an effect on it, so there is less concern about wind damage during the winter months.

Plant potted woody plants correctly so they will live healthy for a long time. People often plant trees too deep. They will usually do OK for a year or two, but when the tree dies later on, the owners don't realize that its demise can be blamed on incorrect planting.

Plant the tree so that the "root flare" -- the area where the roots begin to branch out -- is just below the soil surface. The tree may be at that level in the pot, but in some cases it is not. If your tree has been grafted to a root stock, this will put the graft above the soil level, which is ideal.

Begin by preparing soil. Soil preparation is just as essential for fall planting as for spring planting. Remove the weeds. You can dig to remove all the annual weeds, but perennial weeds such as bindweed, white top or quack grass will require treatment with an herbicide containing glyphosate such as Round-up, Kleen-up and other formulations. If you have severe problems with perennial weeds, treat them shortly after the first killing frost (when it is most effective) and delay planting a tree in the area until spring or when the weeds are under better control.

Loosen badly compacted soil with a fork or tiller before digging a planting hole.

Poor drainage is the most common problem causing transplant loss. If there is any doubt, dig a hole 18 inches deep, fill it with water and let it stand overnight. Water should drain by morning. To deal with a layer of hardpan, dig through it to a permeable layer with a shovel or post hole digger. Making raised beds also generally helps with drainage problems.

Ideally, you should dig the hole two to two and a half times as wide as the pot the tree is grown in and as deep as the root ball is tall. Make the hole's sides straight and the bottom flat.

If you dig too deep the tree may settle and form a natural basin where water can collect and cause root rot. If you are dealing with the problems of poor drainage described above, you may need to dig the hole deeper than the root ball, and then add soil back to the hole so that the root ball will sit just a little higher than the ground level. Mound ground soil over the top of the root ball leaving the root flare just below the surface.

Remove the container even if it is touted as a biodegradable type. In our climate, these kinds of pots don't decompose as rapidly as the tree roots grow and in many cases are still there impeding root growth for many years after the plant is placed. If the roots have extended through the bottom of the container, do your best not to damage them. Break the container away or enlarge drainage holes so roots will slip out.

Plants that have been grown in a pot tend to develop roots that shape themselves to it, encircling the tree. Loosen encircling roots. If they are left as is, they will enlarge as the tree grows and eventually the roots will be too tight and will strangle the tree.

Even small roots that are encircling tend not to extend readily into nearby soil. Lay the soil ball on its side and cut slits in the ball about an inch deep from top to bottom in about five places. The roots behind the cuts will be stimulated to grow out into the soil. Use your fingers to loosen the ends of the roots along the cuts so they will grow out and extend into the hole.

Fill the hole with unloosened native backfill. Most soils are not so bad that they need to be amended. Small amounts of organic matter can be used with very difficult soils, but it is best to amend the whole area because the tree will exist on the site, not just within the hole.

It is best for trees to adapt to natural soil from the beginning. At some point the tree roots need to extend into the natural soil of your yard, and if you change the growing medium around the roots, they tend to grow through the improved soil until they hit the natural soil. Then they tend to turn and follow the edges of the hold, and in essence you create a giant flower pot.

Water holding gels are unlikely to be worth the effort or cost. A tree requires a lot of gel, which would be very expensive.

Remove tags, wires and other attachments from the top of the tree so it doesn't grow around them creating a weakness in the branches.

Do not fertilize trees when you plant them. Wait at least one year per inch caliper of the tree trunk to fertilize and then only if symptoms indicate a need. Research on fertilizers show that they are of little value for newly planted trees. Fertilizers sometimes help top growth, but that is not where you are trying to get the growth; the focus is on the roots. Trees are very good at dealing with soil weaknesses with the exception of pH induced chlorosis. Other additives, such as vitamins, have not been shown to be effective.

Add water to the hole while replacing soil to avoid the creation of air pockets and to insure even saturation of all the roots. Dig a trench about 3 to 4 inches deep circling the tree trunk just inside the planting hole, especially in poorly drained soils. Water the tree using the trench to avoid diseases caused when water pools around the trunk. Grafted trees are especially susceptible to trunk rotting when water does not drain.

For about the first month, water newly planted trees frequently while the roots get established. Temperature, rainfall and soil character dictates the frequency of irrigation. Heavy clay soil holds moisture and should be watered less frequently than sandy soils, which let moisture drain away rapidly. Don't keep the soil soggy. Too much water cuts off air to the roots and causes root rot.

Do not prune the top of the tree to "even it with the roots." Pruning healthy top growth reduces root growth. Go head and prune dead or broken branches on them.

Mulch the soil around the base of the tree with a thing layer of twigs, straw, leaves or other organic matter to conserve moisture, maintain even soil temperature and reduce weed growth. Mulched soil needs water less often than bare soil. Do not create a "mulch volcano" with several inches of mulch heaped around the trunk. This encourages insect and disease damage to the base of the tree.