Tree orientation?

[Phil Graham]

In article <47976.kunde001 at maroon.tc.umn.edu> "kunde001 at maroon.tc.umn.edu" <kunde001 at maroon.tc.umn.edu> writes:
>From: "kunde001 at maroon.tc.umn.edu" <kunde001 at maroon.tc.umn.edu>
>Subject: Re: Tree orientation?
>Date: Wed, 7 Jun 1995 15:32:30 GMT

>On 6 Jun 1995 09:39:27 -0400, 
>Paul Stewart  <stewart at bud.peinet.pe.ca> wrote:

>>asalter at geko.com.au (Adrian Salter) writes: 
>>>I'm looking for information about marking field grown 
>>>trees to indicate the north facing side. Why is it done? 
>>>Thanks, > >Adrian
>>
>>Adrian:
>>        Funny, just yesterday I heard about this too, on a phone-in radio 
>>show out of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Apparently, according to this forester 
>>(whose name I didn't catch...sorry) trees do not expend energy 
>>symetrically  on all sides. The south facing side absorbs more sun energy 
>>and so needs to feed itself as well as the less nourished north side. 
>>Root growth and food storage follow this trend, and if the tree is 
>>replanted out of this orientation it takes time and energy to adapt that 
>>it could use growing and fending off disease, etc. That was the gist of 
>>what they said. Anyone else know more detail on this? Is it true for 
>>other plants as well? For instance ginseng is often transplanted each 
>>year, and seedling starts from greenhouses are planted out this time of 
>>year. Would faster establishment and growth result from keeping the 
>>original orientation when transplanting?
>>
>>ABIOGEN c/o Paul Stewart
>>RR #2 Vernon Bridge
>>Prince Edward Island
>>CANADA   C0A 2E0
>>stewart at cycor.ca
>>
>>
>It is generally thought that tree produce more roots on the north side due 
>to higher soil moisture contents there.  The leaves shade soil on north 
>side keeping moisture content higher there. Soil moisture content is often 
>the limiting factor for tree growth.  With ample available water on the 
>north side roots put on more growth than on the south side which dries out 
>more quickly during dry spells.  I suppose south of the equator this 
>phenomenon would be reversed.  Any observations from down under?

>Steve
>Kunde Co. Consulting Foresters
>Roseville, MN USA

Maintaining nursery orientation reduces the risk of sunscald to the trunk 
of the newly transplanted tree.

Phil, Certified Arborist