Square holes!

[nickkrumrei]

I am a seasoned gardener - the son of a landscape professional. That said I try to watch observantly to others techniques. I learned that a person ought to dig a square hole when planting fig trees (theoretically ALL trees) when the soil is clay or heavy. It prevents the roots from growing in circles.

Am I the last person to know this?

 

[betdempster]

Nope! I just learned it recently too. And I have heavy clay and rock soil so I have gotten a flat shovel thing to square it off when I plant my inground trees in the spring. Oh hey hello fellow Texan!!!!

 

[superdave336]

It doesn’t have to be square but the edges need to be jagged enough the roots catch and don’t spiral around but dig in to native soil.

 

[ktrain]

The holes I dig are not round, but not square either. lol

I make deep slices into the sides to avoid circling.

 

[Kompakfigs]

Similar to 4x9 tree pots, square holes prevent the circling of roots. The tree will find a way to get nutrients and moisture.

 

[BucksCountyFigs]

Having gardened in the clay soil of New Jersey for 14 years, jagged edges holes became the norm when I plant trees.

 

[superdave336]

The holes I dig are not round, but not square either. lol

I make deep slices into the sides to avoid circling.

That’s what I do as well.

 

[Figgerlickinggood]

We have clay here in Virginia and we dig our holes in the shape of a boat. Shallow at the sides then slop down deeper towards the center.

 

[snarfing]

I got straight sand. Its hard enough to dig a hole at all when it just slides back in. I cannot imagine how id dig a square hole lol. But here I just rough up the margin and dont really amend too heavily. Just some manure and osmocote.