trees

[rh71]

how do you tell a tree is dead and how hard is it to plant a new one (any that is about 2 stories tall, not big).

 

[MisterJackson]

Set it on fire, if it burns really fast, it was dead.

 

[M16Grenadier]

cut a bit off a lower branch. The drier it is, the more likely the tree is dead.

 

[Bryophyte]

What kind of tree?

Not too hard to plant a tree. Whoever you buy it from should be able to give you directions for planting and taking care of it.

 

[Kyteland]

Wait until spring. If no leaves grow it is dead. If leaves grow it is not dead. If it has needles and they are brown it is dead.

Also, branches on a living tree should be springy. Climb up on to the tree and cut a (smallish) branch from somewhere in the middle. It will be fairly obvious if it is still alive.

 

[Grey]

Scratch the bark off, does it appear green underneath? Why are you asking this question, the information you provided wasn't to specific.

 

[arcas]

If it has needles and they are brown it is dead

Not necessarily. There are several species of deciduous conifer. Larches/taramacks, Bald Cypress and Dawn Redwood come to mind.

how hard is it to plant a new one (any that is about 2 stories tall, not big)

It depends on what type of tree you're planting. Some are very easy to transplant, others are notoriously difficult. Also, I'd strongly recommend that you NOT plant such a large tree. First, a 2-story (ie. 15-20ft) tree from a nursery is going to cost a bundle, even for a run-of-the-mill cultivar like a river birch or a tulip poplar. Second, a tree that size is going to have a very large rootball (100 gallons?). You're going to need to dig a serious hole to plant it. Third, assuming the tree survives transplanting, its growth over the first couple or three years is going to be pretty slow since it has to re-establish all the roots that were cut when it was dug up. If you plant a small tree (8-12ft) and a large tree (say, 15ft) of the same cultivar at the same time, the smaller tree will usually catch up to the larger tree and surpass it in size within a few years.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Planting a tree is easy. Planting a 20 foot tree will cost you a few thousand dollars easy.

I bought a few 8 to 10 foot maples this week. Cost about 70 dollars each. From there prices go up exponentially.

What is it that you want?

 

[Squisher]

There are professional arborists that can come out and tell you if the tree is salvageable.

Originally posted by: arcas
.......... If you plant a small tree (8-12ft) and a large tree (say, 15ft) of the same cultivar at the same time, the smaller tree will usually catch up to the larger tree and surpass it in size within a few years.

Agreed.