Post-Planting Tips | After Planting Care, Trees, Shrubs: Gardening

Helping You Become a More Successful Gardener

Now that you’ve got your new trees and shrubs installed, you might think you can sit back and enjoy them for a little bit. Unfortunately, your work has just begun. Tending to your new plants properly is important to their long-term health.

Slowly apply water to trees and shrubs at the rate it’s absorbed until the ground becomes saturated. This may mean refilling the moated watering basin several times.

If you installed a deep-watering system was installed for your tree, fill it to overflowing, allow it to drain, then refill it. Add extra soil to fill any slump or settling.

Water every 48 hours for the first 10 days after planting. Irrigate weekly thereafter, allowing the soil’s surface to dry between applications, to a depth of 4-6 inches. Continue the frequent waterings for the first two seasons of growth.

One of the most important aspects of after-planting care is watering, which helps ease transplant shock, replaces water lost in the soil surrounding the roots, prompts new growth and settles the soil.Fertilizing your plantings soon after planting is also a good idea to give your trees and shrubs a nutrient boost.

After the initial planting care, watering is still vital until your trees and shrubs are fully established. You should water every 48 hours for the first 10 days after planting. After that, in the absence of adequate rainfall, water thoroughly approximately every 5 days – more often if you live in a hot, dry environment and less often if you live in a cool, damp one. After the first 3 or 4 months, begin to taper your watering frequency. Once the root system is completely established (after the first two growing seasons), you can water your plant on the same schedule as the rest of your garden.

Mulching young trees and shrubs is also central to maintaining good health, since among the many benefits of mulching is the soil’s increased ability to retain moisture. After planting, lay down a 3-4 inch layer of mulch over the entire root zone, being careful to keep the mulch from touching the trunk of the plants.

Also, avoid walking over the root zone, since foot traffic compacts the soil. And if a tree or shrub is in an area where children might run into it during play, simply place some stakes a short distance from the trunk as a reminder that the planting is out-of-bounds.

If you live in an area with a lot of wildlife – or if you have pets that might be tempted to chew on a newly planted tree – you can protect trunks with a circle of wire mesh. Andprotect young trees from the effects of hot sun and winter cold: Consider wrapping the trunks with strips of burlap or trunk wrap during such difficult months.

Finally, keep notes in a garden journal, listing the names of the trees and shrubs you’ve planted, as well as how they’ve performed throughout the season based on the care you’ve given them. When questions come up in future years, you’ll know exactly what each plant is and how it’s been growing. It’s also fun to jot down the date you planted each tree and shrub and to even take some photos of them season after season. Later, you’ll look back and marvel at how your plants have grown under your care, and you’ll be amazed at your garden’s transformation!

Foliar Plant Feeding

Foliar Plant Feeding - Step 1

Foliar fertilizers can give your trees and shrubs a boost after planting. Most are water-soluble powders. Don rubber gloves and carefully mix a solution of fertilizer and water at half the package-recommended rate for your hose-end sprayer.

Foliar Plant Feeding - Step 2

Fill a hose-end sprayer with the diluted solution. Set the applicator as recommended for the sprayer and fertilizer.

Foliar Plant Feeding - Step 3

On a calm (wind-free), warm morning, spray the foliage, stem or trunk, and branches of the shrub or tree until thoroughly wetted with fertilizer spray. Allow it to dry before evening.

Facts

Using slow-application soaker hoses to water and applying plenty of mulch will help prevent erosion and runoff when trees and shrubs are planted on a hillside or slope.
Established landscape trees only need surface watering during periods of extended drought. That’s because their roots can reach far and wide to get water. In fact, the roots of evergreens (like Douglas fir) have been seen 275 feet underground, seeking water in underground limestone caves and mines!

Tips

Once a tree is well-established, watering the area immediately around its trunk does little good because the roots are elsewhere. Instead, look at the edge of the tree’s foliage and picture an imaginary line down to the soil (the drip line). Plan to water there – it’s where the fine roots that gather water and nutrients are found.
Protect tree trunks by keeping lawn mowers, string trimmers and other sharp tools at a safe distance. Remove any plastic tags or wire ties that were attached to the plant when you bought it so they don’t girdle the limbs later. In addition, throw out any stake that came with your new tree in its pot. Leave it on until you’ve provided better, but don’t keep it – that stake was only intended for nursery use. It should be replaced with stronger supports.
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Next Steps

Fertilizer Application Tips for Trees and Shrubs
Learn the basic application guidelines for fertilizing trees and shrubs.
Establishing Self-Sufficient Plants
Create a water-wise garden by establishing your new plants well. Here’s how to do it.
Starting Out Right With a New Young Tree
Small, young trees are simple to plant, rewarding to grow and easy on the wallet – but they do bring their challenges. Help your new little tree reach its full potential by properly picking, planting and pruning it right from the start.

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Post-Planting Tips for Trees and Shrubs