One of the best things that you can do for your yard and landscaping is to introduce a new tree that will bring everything together. It can be difficult to plant a tree if you have not done so before, especially if you don’t have a “green thumb.”
Planting a tree requires a certain amount of skill and experience, but it isn’t something that you should fear due to inexperience. Instead, you can focus on bringing the skills that you already have and remember, a little planning goes a long way.
Here are some of our best tree planting tips and tricks:
Prepare the Planting Site Properly
- Watch a few YouTube videos to see what it should look like
- Make sure that you have the right tools
- Approach cautiously
One of the biggest mistakes that people make, according to Morton Arboretum, is that they do not plant the tree shallowly enough when they are starting out. Planting the tree too deeply won’t only lead to problems during the establishment phase, it can lead to long-term problems that will hinder the growth and health of your tree.
Take in some of the trees that have thrived on your property already: how are they situated? Asking this question can help you immensely.
Most often, people will have trees that have balled roots. If this is the case for you, you need to supplement with newer, fresher soil. Make sure that you plant the tree as deep as recommended. If you aren’t sure what that depth is, talk to the professional at the nursery, who can give you more insight. Remember that you have to think about erosion in certain places that have running water or pooling.
Protect The Trunk
- Think before you plant
- Ensure you won’t hit the trunk with a lawn mower
- The trunk is always susceptible – not just in the first few years
According to The Family Handy Man, one of the best things that you can do is install some pipe to protect the trunk from lawn mowers, kids, pets, and other elements: “Protect the trunks of young trees and bushes from lawn trimmers and critters by using 6-in. flexible plastic drainage pipe. Cut a short piece of pipe, split it along its length, and wrap it around the young tree. ”
If this seems like a lot of work, it might be – but you certainly want to do what you can to prevent even more work for yourself later on down the line when you inevitably hit it with something, your kid runs into it, or something else equally debilitating happens.
Water
- Water more than you think you need to
- Make sure to use fresh, clean water
- Monitor soil textures
One of the most important things that you can do for your trees is to ensure that they have plenty of water at every stage of development. However, you mostly want to check that it has water for at least the first six months after you plant your tree.
According to Better Homes and Gardens, you want to install some sort of mulch to help prevent dry out. Using a natural mulch from a high quality provider is the best way to ensure that you get the natural elements your tree needs to survive. You have to consider the nutrients that soil contains and ensure that you aren’t stripping them away.
Use discretion when watering. It’s important to give plenty of water to a newly planted, young tree, but be careful not to flood the area.
Plan – Then Plant
- Do all of the prep work before even purchasing your tree
- Do not let tree dry out
- Tear off any paper as soon as possible
If you want to give your tree the absolute best chance to survive, you have to do some prep work to the site, to the tree, to your yard, and even to your tools. Do all of this before you pick up the tree.
Primarily, you want to work quickly once you have the tree – they were made to be placed in the ground, so when they aren’t there, they are slowly dying.
According to Mother Earth News, “Speed matters. Don’t let the roots or rootball dry out. Care matters also. Don’t let the roots or rootball break. Your plant either will be “bare-rooted” and wrapped in some sort of protective substance or will come with the roots in a ball of dirt in some kind of container to hold it together — a peat pot, burlap, wire basket or bag. If it’s a metal pot, cut off the pot with tin snips. Tear it off if it’s made of paper. You have to get as much of the wrapping off as possible without actually harming the rootball. This may have you struggling with knives, wire cutters, etc. Untreated burlap can, if necessary, be planted with the tree.”
Planting a tree is something to take seriously, no matter what. Don’t decide to plant a tree and just go grab one on the same day. While that might seem fine now, it will not pay off in the long run. Instead, make sure that every step you take is one with intention. There are plenty of resources available to you to ensure that you do this right. If you do not want to take the time, you can always talk to a professional.
If you are worried about your trees or you see something that just doesn’t look right, make sure to give Arbortec Tree Service a call at (303) 466-3175. While you can certainly watch over your trees and love them, there is nothing that beats the practiced hand of professionals.