Tree Planting Tricks

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Susan Mason

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When it comes to planting trees, the right method all depends on how you buy your plant. Is it in a nursery container or balled-and-burlapped (B&B)? Boxed or bare root? No matter how you purchase it, planting your tree with the right technique helps ensure it’ll grow strong and healthy in your garden.

Before planting any tree, it’s best to gather all of your materials, equipment and plants at the site. Water the tree the night before planting. If the site’s soil is compacted, wet it thoroughly 48 hours before digging.

When planted and cared for correctly, your trees will mature into healthy showstoppers season after season!

If you’re bringing home a containerized tree, dig a planting hole the same depth as the root ball, and just 24 inches wider. Using a pitchfork or other tined tool, poke holes into the bottom and sides of the hole, penetrating the surrounding soil. These holes will become the outlets through which the tree roots will eventually grow. Then carefully remove the tree from its container, loosen and fan out the roots, and prune any damaged ones.

Place the root ball in the planting hole, making sure the roots are relatively straight and fanned down. Be sure the top of the root ball is level with the soil or slightly higher. Backfill the hole with native soil broken up using a shovel. Finally, gently tamp the soil as you go to remove any air pockets (but remember that you want the soil to be loose and breathable), and then water the tree thoroughly.

If your container tree was growing in a potting medium that was a different texture from your native soil, gently wash away some of the potting soil with a garden hose, then place the root ball in the planting hole. Backfill the hole with native soil until it’s 1/3 full. Water thoroughly, let the soil settle, then finish filling the hole with the remaining native soil.

For a B&B tree, prepare the hole as for a container tree. Leave any natural-fiber burlap under the root ball when you place it in the planting hole, but pull the top fabric away from the trunk and tuck it along the sides of the root ball. If the burlap is synthetic, completely remove it. Reach into the hole and make several vertical slices in the fabric with a knife to speed the fabric’s decomposition. Backfill the hole with soil and water well.

Boxed trees are usually large specimens. They’re planted similarly to nursery container trees, but because of their size and the effort their planting involves, they’re usually planted by tree professionals.

Bare-root trees are usually vigorous species that develop roots quickly when planted in unamended garden soil. When planting a bare-root tree, soak the roots in water for several hours before planting. Then dig a hole wide and deep enough to accommodate the roots. Make a cone-shaped mound of soil in the center of the hole, then set the roots on top, spreading them out over the mound. Backfill with soil until the hole is ¾ full, and water thoroughly. Let the soil settle, then finish filling the hole with the remaining native soil and water again.

No matter what kind of tree you’ve purchased, be sure to water it in thoroughly once you’ve got it in the ground, and take extra care of your tree during its first year until it’s established. Then watch it grow and prosper as your good investment takes root!

Warnings

Put the right plant in the right spot to avoid future challenges. Shallow-rooted, invasive trees can lift pavement and increase the effort needed to mow beneath them, while tall-growing trees can interfere with overhead utility lines.
Be sure to comply with all local codes and homeowner’s covenants when you plant trees and large shrubs. For sites near buried or overhead utility lines, notify your local municipality and obtain permission to dig before proceeding.

Tips

Consider your neighbors and their property as you position your plants. A tree planted near your property line eventually may grow limbs and roots that extend into their yard. Select species that are suitable for the space, and check with your neighbors before you plant anything near their yard.
Protect yard features like inground pools when you plant nearby. Allow the recommended spacing for the mature species, plus an extra safety factor of 50 percent more to avoid the risk of roots cracking the pool deck or walls.

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