Workshop teaches transplanting 
     
    
   
   
    
     BY GARY SCHNEIDER 
     
    
   
   
    
     The ongoing series of workshops cosponsored by the Natural History 
     
     Society and the Island Nature Trust continues to be a great success. 
     
     The latest in the series, on transplanting trees and shrubs, was held 
     
     on April 14 at the Farm Centre in Charlottetown and drew large and 
     
     enthusiastic crowd. 
     
    

    
     Geoff Hogan, NHS director and owner of Bird's Eye Nature Store in 
     
     Charlottetown began the workshop with advice on what to transplant and 
     
     why you should think of transplanting native trees, shrubs and vines. 
     
     Geoff pointed out that they can often be much cheaper (even when you 
     
     figure in your time) and that they are better suited to our climate. 
     
     Many have great benefits for wildlife and others are simply grown for 
     
     their beauty. 
     
    

    
     Indian pear (also known as service berry, Indian plum, saskatoon, 
     
     and many more) and staghorn sumac were high on the list of favourites, 
     
     which included american elm, white birch, red maple, sugar maple, 
     
     american and showy mountain ash. Only white pine and white spruce 
     
     make good ornamentals amongst the conifers, but eastern larch is also 
     
     a valuable addition to your property. Red 
     
     oak should be grown from acorns, and will 
     
     do quite well here. 
     
    

    
     Pin cherry and choke cherry were two 
     
     species that drew poor marks, as they are 
     
     short-lived and also spread black knot 
     
     to cultivated cherry and plum trees. 
     
    

    
     Native shrubs such as the red-berried 
     
     elder, bayberry andthe Virginia rose are 
     
     suitable candidates for transplanting, as 
     
     are the non-native but numerous common 
     
     lilac and cinnamon rose. Virginia creeper 
     
     and a native clematis are also valuable. 
     
    

    
     Slides illustrated the types of 
     
     trees and shrubs discussed, and the 
     
     methods of planting. Many were of Geoff's 
     
     own well—landscaped property in Springvale. 
     
     Especially interesting were the ones showing 
     
     Geoff's work establishing a white spruce 
     
     hedge. 
     
    

    
     Dan McAskill, NHS Vice—president working 
     
     with the Department of Energy and Forestry, 
     
     had been out the evening before the workshop 
     
     taking samples of many of our native species so that people could get 
     
     a close look at the differences in twigs, buds, bark, etc. It is always 
     
     much easier to have the real thing to look at, instead Of just a field 
     
     guide. ‘ 
     
    

    
     Dan showed how to tell the various trees and shrubs apart before 
     
     they leaf out (it is best to transplant in the spring and many guides 
     
     focus too much on leaf shape). He also identified good candidates for 
     
     transplanting - straight, well-formed seedlings with a good end bud, 
     
     and avoiding seedlings with flushed buds or that are suckers from cut 
     
     trees. The best place to look for the hardwood seedlings is a forestry 
     
     road 2-5 years after it has been bulldozed, but as always, only after 
     
     asking permission from the landowner. After transplanting, a minimum of 
     
     30% of side growth should be cut off to compensate for root damage. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     WHITE PINE 
     
    
   
   
    
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