Corpus sync: neutrality remakes, note hygiene, datasheet relocation, transformer-split cross-refs
---
title: Planting and Soil Preparation
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- **Plant material** covers trees, shrubs, ground covers, vines, perennials, and turf established by sod or seed, including their handling, setting, backfilling, mulching, support, and establishment.
−## The work shall include all soil amendments, mulch, support hardware, and incidental materials required to complete the planting and to maintain it through the establishment period. {note}
+## The work shall include all soil amendments, mulch, support hardware, and incidental materials required to complete the planting and to maintain it through the establishment period.
## This standard must be coordinated with the adjacent site work so that planting soil depth, underdrains, and bed drainage are not in conflict. Subgrade preparation, drainage, and finish grade in planting areas shall be reconciled with the site earthwork and storm drainage work, and soil preparation depths, subgrade scarification, and imported fill quality shall be reconciled with the earthwork so that planting soil is not placed over uncompacted or over-compacted subgrade. Permanent irrigation supplying the planting is specified separately; coordinate establishment watering with the irrigation work and resolve responsibility for water supply before the establishment period begins. {note}
## Referenced Standards {toc}
−## The following standards are referenced in this document; the edition in effect at the time the plant material is purchased shall govern unless a specific edition is named. {note}
+## The following standards are referenced in this document; the edition in effect at the time the plant material is purchased shall govern unless a specific edition is named.
| Standard | Title |
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### Imported topsoil shall be tested and approved before any of it is placed in planting areas.
−## Source quality of plant material shall be verified before delivery so that defective or undersized stock is rejected at the nursery rather than after installation. {note}
+## Source quality of plant material shall be verified before delivery so that defective or undersized stock is rejected at the nursery rather than after installation.
### Plant material shall be nursery-grown stock that has been transplanted or root-pruned within the period required by ANSI Z60.2 for its size class.
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### Plant material shall be true to the botanical name specified, and mislabeled stock shall be rejected.
−## Pre-installation conditions in planting areas shall be verified so that planting does not proceed over unsuitable subgrade or out of season. {note}
+## Pre-installation conditions in planting areas shall be verified so that planting does not proceed over unsuitable subgrade or out of season.
### The Contractor shall verify finish subgrade elevation and drainage in each planting area before placing planting soil, and shall report conditions that prevent compliant work.
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# Environmental and Service Conditions {toc}
−## The plant material specified shall be adapted to the project's climate zone and to the exposure, drainage, and soil conditions of its planting location. {note}
+## The plant material specified shall be adapted to the project's climate zone and to the exposure, drainage, and soil conditions of its planting location.
### Plant material shall be hardy to the project's USDA plant hardiness zone or colder.
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### Imported topsoil shall conform to ASTM D5268 for gradation, organic matter, pH, and soluble salts and shall be free of deleterious material.
−### Imported topsoil shall be a sandy loam to loam, free of subsoil, clay lumps larger than the size set below, stones, roots, and debris.
−
−### Imported topsoil shall be free of noxious weed seed, herbicide residue, and contaminants at concentrations harmful to plant growth.
−
−### Specifying imported topsoil without ASTM D5268 gradation and organic-matter limits allows acceptance of sand-heavy fill or high-clay material unsuitable for plant growth; the gradation and organic-matter limits below are therefore mandatory acceptance criteria, not guidance. {note}
−
```datasheet
label: Planting Soil Texture Class
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max: 10
step: 1
−setpoints: [3, 5, 8]
+setpoints: [2, 3, 5, 8, 10]
default: 5
```
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max: 7.5
step: 0.5
−setpoints: [5.5, 6.5, 7.0]
+setpoints: [5, 5.5, 6.5, 7, 7.5]
default: 6.5
```
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```
+### Imported topsoil shall be a sandy loam to loam, free of subsoil, clay lumps larger than the size set below, stones, roots, and debris.
+
```datasheet
label: Maximum Clay Lump or Stone Size in Topsoil
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```
+### Imported topsoil shall be free of noxious weed seed, herbicide residue, and contaminants at concentrations harmful to plant growth.
+
+### Specifying imported topsoil without ASTM D5268 gradation and organic-matter limits allows acceptance of sand-heavy fill or high-clay material unsuitable for plant growth; the gradation and organic-matter limits below are therefore mandatory acceptance criteria, not guidance. {note}
+
## Sand, Silt, and Clay Fractions {toc}
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## Soil Amendments {toc}
−### Soil amendment rates shall be derived from the project soil test results, not assumed; assumed rates either waste material or fail to correct the deficiency. {note}
+### Soil amendment rates shall be derived from the project soil test results, not assumed; assumed rates either waste material or fail to correct the deficiency.
### Compost used as a soil amendment shall be mature and stable as verified by ASTM D5975, and immature compost with high oxygen demand shall be rejected.
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## Compacted subgrade beneath planting soil is invisible after the work is done but stops roots and water as effectively as pavement; preparing the subgrade is as important as the planting soil placed over it. {note}
−## The subgrade shall be loosened so that roots and water can pass from the planting soil into the native soil rather than perch above a compacted layer. {note}
+## The subgrade shall be loosened so that roots and water can pass from the planting soil into the native soil rather than perch above a compacted layer.
### Compacted subgrade in planting areas shall be scarified or ripped to the depth set below before planting soil is placed.
−### The subgrade shall not be worked when it is frozen or saturated, because working wet soil destroys structure and worsens compaction.
−
−### Compaction of the prepared subgrade shall not exceed the maximum density set below as verified by ASTM D1556, so that root penetration is not impeded.
−
−### Failing to test subgrade permeability before specifying planting risks discovering a high seasonal water table or compacted hardpan after bid, which forces costly change orders for underdrains or soil replacement; permeability verification is therefore required before placing planting soil. {note}
−
```datasheet
label: Subgrade Scarification Depth - Shrub and Ground Cover Beds
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max: 24
step: 3
−setpoints: [12, 18]
+setpoints: [12, 18, 24]
default: 12
```
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max: 36
step: 6
−setpoints: [18, 24]
+setpoints: [18, 24, 36]
default: 24
```
+### The subgrade shall not be worked when it is frozen or saturated, because working wet soil destroys structure and worsens compaction.
+
+### Compaction of the prepared subgrade shall not exceed the maximum density set below as verified by ASTM D1556, so that root penetration is not impeded.
+
```datasheet
label: Maximum Subgrade Compaction (ASTM D1556)
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```
+### Failing to test subgrade permeability before specifying planting risks discovering a high seasonal water table or compacted hardpan after bid, which forces costly change orders for underdrains or soil replacement; permeability verification is therefore required before placing planting soil. {note}
+
# Plant Material {toc}
−## Plant material shall be sound, healthy, vigorous, well-branched nursery stock free of disease, insect infestation, and mechanical injury, with a fully developed root system characteristic of the species. {note}
+## Plant material shall be sound, healthy, vigorous, well-branched nursery stock free of disease, insect infestation, and mechanical injury, with a fully developed root system characteristic of the species.
## Root Form {toc}
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max: 6.0
step: 0.5
−setpoints: [2.0, 2.5, 3.0]
+setpoints: [1.5, 2, 2.5, 3]
default: 2.5
```
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## Planting Depth {toc}
−### The top of the root flare shall be set at or slightly above finish grade, never below it; planting too deep is a leading cause of slow decline and trunk rot. {note}
+### The top of the root flare shall be set at or slightly above finish grade, never below it; planting too deep is a leading cause of slow decline and trunk rot.
### Each tree shall be set so that the top of the root flare is at finish grade or up to the tolerance set below above finish grade.
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max: 4
step: 0.5
−setpoints: [2, 3]
+setpoints: [2, 3, 4]
default: 3
```
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max: 24
step: 6
−setpoints: [18, 24]
+setpoints: [12, 18, 24]
default: 18
```
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max: 10
step: 1
−setpoints: [4, 5, 6]
+setpoints: [2, 4, 5, 6, 10]
default: 5
```
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### Perforated drain pipe placed in the pit bottom shall be routed to a positive outlet coordinated with the site storm drainage work. [[drawing: tree pit underdrain outlet]]
−### Drainage accommodation in planting areas shall be coordinated with the storm drainage and earthwork so that planting underdrains discharge to an accepting system. {note}
+### Drainage accommodation in planting areas shall be coordinated with the storm drainage and earthwork so that planting underdrains discharge to an accepting system.
### In paved areas, tree root volume shall be provided by structural soil or soil cells sized to the volume set below per tree, coordinated with the paving and utility work.
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max: 1000
step: 100
−setpoints: [600, 1000]
+setpoints: [300, 600, 1000]
default: 600
```
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default: 3
```