Abstract
Objective: The desired effect in landscape applications is ensured quickly with the plant transport process. However, in the processes of dismantling, transporting and planting adult tree-bushes, serious plant losses occur due to changes in the current living conditions, improper transportation and climatic conditions. This study includes the results of transportation, planting site preparation and 2-year observation results of older palm (Washingtonia filifera) plants, whose transplantation is more difficult than young plants in order to contribute to the reduction of plant mortality rates in plant transportation applications.
Materials and Methods: The research was carried out within the scope of Iskenderun Technical University campus planting activities. The study material consists of 32 elderly Washingtonia filifera plants, which were exposed to transportation process 8 months before the study. Within the scope of this study, they were exposed to the transportation process for the second time, although it did not exceed 1 year after the transportation process. Bare root carrying method has been applied in practice.
Results: The application within the scope of the study was carried out in February 2018. None of the factors such as suitability of plants for planting, planting soil structure and climatic characteristics, planting time provide suitable conditions for planting. For this reason, additional applications to standard sewing processes have been implemented. The planting site depth, which should be 75-125 cm, was prepared as 500 cm and the planting pit was supported by 50 cm high soil with a high amount of shaft. Contact fungicide was sprayed to prevent rotting of the branches during transportation, NP fertilizer solution and humic acid were added to the planting site and the plants were fixed with steel ropes after planting. After 2 years of observation, 25 out of 32 plants have completed the process in a healthy way.
Conclusion: Even when suitable conditions are provided for planting in plant transplantation processes, plant losses can increase up to 30% to 50%. Plant loss is 22% in this application. In this process, it is necessary to investigate the literature and transportation experiences about the plant types to examine the suitability of the plants to be transported for planting. Pesticide and pruning should be done against the diseases that may occur in the plants, the depth and diameter suitable for the plant type should be created in the planting site preparation, the soil structure should be examined and the necessary fertilizers and regulators should be used. The biggest challenge encountered in this study, the selection of plant and planting time, should be planned by choosing the most appropriate periods for the health of the plants and transportation processes, not according to the time schedule of the practitioners.