Wire Baskets FAQ
How do I size a wire basket to a root ball?
The basket should sit snug against the root ball with the top wires landing below the ball's shoulder so they can be bent down or cut after setting. Match the basket diameter to your digging spade or tree spade size. An oversized basket lets the ball shift in transit, which breaks roots and loosens soil.
What is the difference between low-profile and regular wire baskets?
Low-profile baskets are shallower relative to their diameter and match the flatter root balls produced on trees with shallow root systems or in shallow-soil regions. Regular baskets fit the classic deeper ball. Use the profile that matches how your operation actually digs, since a mismatched basket leaves loops of slack wire.
Do wire baskets get removed at planting?
Practice varies, but the common professional standard is to cut and remove at least the top third of the basket after the tree is set, along with twine and the upper burlap. Wire left high on the ball can eventually girdle structural roots. Removing the entire basket risks breaking the ball on large trees, so most crews compromise at the top portion.
What gauge wire should I look for?
Heavier gauge wire resists deformation when balls are lifted, stacked, and shipped. For larger caliper trees and machine handling, choose the heavier-gauge baskets, since a collapsed basket on a 500-pound ball is both a plant loss and a safety problem. Lighter gauges are acceptable for small hand-dug stock.
Are baskets used with burlap or instead of it?
Together. The standard balled-and-burlapped process wraps the ball in burlap first, then sets it in the wire basket, which provides the structural strength burlap lacks. The burlap holds soil, the basket carries the load. A.M. Leonard stocks both so digging crews can order them as a matched system.
Can I get wire baskets in bulk for nursery production?
Yes. Baskets are stocked in production quantities, and volume pricing is available through the quote process. Digging season burns through baskets quickly, so nurseries typically order by the pallet ahead of spring and fall harvests rather than reordering mid-season.
