Tree Planting Tips

Tis’ the season to plant trees… fa, la, la, la… Um, well, maybe that’s a bit too much. I sometimes get a bit overenthusiastic about Arbor Day (Friday, April 26 here in New Jersey).

Seeing how so many trees are being planted this time of year, I thought I’d take a moment to help thwart a few common tree-planting mistakes by offering a couple of tips.

Select the right tree for the right spot.

Before you run to your favorite nursery or grab your shovel, the first thing you should do is think and plan. Ask yourself a couple of questions:

1. What purpose is the tree going to serve? (Will it be planted for shade, noise reduction, privacy, curb appeal, etc.?)
2. Where would you like to plant the tree? (Will it be planted in the front yard, near the street, near the house, near a property boundary?)   

You should carefully look-over your property. Take note of the surrounding trees, walkways, driveways, lighting, landscaping, overhead utilities (wires), and if possible, underground utilities (plumbing, phone lines, etc.). Just imagine the tree in 30 years or so—these are your space constraints. For example, you don’t want to plant a giant-growing oak tree two feet from your house, under a power line, over your main sewer line (making your new tree the bane of your existence within a few, short years). 

Now that you have a cozy spot picked out, grab your shovel and do a little digging. Smell anything funny? Does the hole fill-up with water? Do you need a pick and a jackhammer to dig the hole? If you said yes to any of these, you should seek the advice of a pro or pick a new spot.

Now grab a hose, and fill the hole with water until it overflows. Does the water take a long time to drain or remain in the hole? If you answer yes to either of these two questions, you may want to pick a new spot or get some advice from a pro.

Okay, your soil seems fine, your spot should be good for 30+ years of growth, and you have an idea what kind of tree you want. Now what? Insect and disease susceptibility, that’s what. Plan for low maintenance. This is a bit tricky, so I won’t go into detail. However, as examples, I wouldn’t recommend planting a tree that’s practically guaranteed to fall apart (Bradford Callery pear), require routine spaying (radiant flowering crab apple), or a tree soon to be a meal for an invasive insect species (ash trees). Pick a tree, then do some Googling, and don't hesitate to ask your nursery-person for assistance!!  

Planting the right tree in the right location can offer decades of benefits for you, your property, and your neighborhood. Planting the wrong tree in the wrong location can provide years of hassle, high maintenance costs, potential liabilities, and all-around headaches.

Planting your properly selected tree.

So, now that you have the perfectly matched tree for your planting site, it’s time to plant.

The first thing you want to do is find the trunk-flare (the area where the trunk gets wider toward the ground and thick roots start to form). Dirt or mulch at the nursery can sometimes bury this area. If the tree looks like broom handle protruding from the soil (without a wider base), then chances are, you’ll need to remove some dirt or mulch until you can see the flare.

Next, you want to measure the height of the soil-ball (from the ground to the bottom of the trunk-flare). This will be the maximum depth of the planting hole.

Now, start digging! You want to create a planting hole that is about 2-3 times the width of the soil-ball or container, and no deeper than the depth of the measurement you took. If you have soil that doesn’t drain well (holds water), adjust your planting depth so the bottom of the trunk-flare is 2-3 inches above grade (this is why you took a measurement). If you have loose soil, you may want to pack down the bottom of the hole to keep your new tree from sinking. (Planting depth is critical to the long-term heath of your tree. The trunk-flare should never be below grade. At the same time, half the root-ball shouldn’t be above grade!)

Carefully remove the root container or wire basket, taking care not to break-apart the root-ball. Make sure you can see the trunk-flare and your depth-measurement is still good. If you see roots spiraling around the trunk-flare or the outside of the ball, do what you can to straighten them (you may need to cut or remove a few). 

Get ready to place the tree in the planting-hole. You should always lift and move the tree by the soil-ball and never by the trunk (a couple of straps placed under the soil-ball may help).

Carefully place your new friend in the planting hole. Check the planting depth again, make sure the tree stands straight (the last thing you want in your yard is a monument to your carelessness for all to see (Think, Leaning Tower of Pisa).

You’re almost done! Pack some soil around the bottom of the root-ball to stabilize, and remove any string and wrapping material you can to expose the root-ball. Double check to ensure your tree is straight (again, you are going to be upset if you go through all this just to have a crooked tree).

Now fill the hole with the soil you removed, gently packing as you fill. Do not amend the soil in any way!

There you have it! You have created a living monument to your forethought and environmental responsibility for generations to behold and enjoy!

But wait, your not done yet!

A bit of after-planting care

First, do not fertilize your new tree at all. Keep pruning to a minimum, concentrating mostly on dead twigs and branches that may have been damaged. Save pruning until next year.

Add a 2-4 inch layer of mulch around the planting area, concentrating on the perimeter of the planting hole, and leaving space between the trunk of the tree and the mulch. Never pack mulch against the base of the tree in a volcano-like fashion. For more info on volcano-mulch, read this.

If your new tree is in a windy area or if it feels unstable, you may want to support it with tree-stakes and guys for the first year. Do not support the tree if it is not necessary (it suppresses development).

Keep your new tree happy and healthy by keeping it watered, but don’t drown it. A good, deep watering about twice a week should be fine, if it hasn’t rained. The goal is to keep soil moist, not drenched.

Enjoy.

Okay, so it was a bit more than just a couple of tips, I couldn’t help myself. It’s the Arborist’s tree planting guide, in a nutshell.

If you would like more detailed information, see: New Tree Planting and Tree Selection from TreesAreGood.org.