How to properly plant a tree
Confused by all the different information out there on installing trees? There’s a lot of information out there in books, on the internet and through various organizations that offer varying viewpoints and often conflict, contradict, and confuse people. Here are seven points to successful installation of trees that are generally agreed on and are considered company policy for Rosehill Gardens. They are as follows:
1. Call in utility locates. Always call in and have your utilities marked when you are digging for any reason. Safety first!
2. Digging the hole. Stay clear of marked utilities. When digging the depth of the hole, do not over dig the depth. Your tree may over settle and become too deep in the ground and could result in the tree struggling. A good rule of thumb is, for every inch of caliper of tree (diameter of trunk) plant the tree that many inches above the grade of undisturbed soil. For example, a 2” caliper tree should be planted 2” above the ground. The width of the hole should be one and a half to two times the diameter of the root ball to give the roots plenty of room to grow out before hitting more solid soil.
3. Planting the tree. Carefully roll the root ball into the hole and straighten. After the tree is upright and straight, cut and remove the burlap and twine from the top portion of the root ball leaving the rest of the root ball intact. Bend down or cut off the top of the wire cage. Leaving the burlap and wire cage helps to hold the soil that the tree has been growing in around the roots until it’s able to establish itself in its new home. The burlap is natural and will decompose and the wire basket will rust away over time.
4. Backfilling the hole. Mix in amended top soil, compost, and existing soil that was dug from the hole (rocks and other debris removed). Granular fertilizer may be added at this time as well, slowly added as the hole is backfilled. Leave a small amount of additional soil mounded around the outside of the root ball. This soil will settle into the area around the root ball over time.
5. Mulching. Mulch to a depth of 2-3” over the entire area that was disturbed and a little outside of this area. Mulch helps hold in moisture and to some degree helps suppress weeds. It also is a good idea to always mulch around existing trees to help protect them from damage by lawn mowers and weed eaters.
6. Watering. Saturate the entire area. Soak the root ball and the backfilled area so that there are no air pockets. Watching what the weather does, soaking the root ball with a garden hose every few days is ideal. Irrigation systems do not water NEWLY planted trees properly. They do not soak the root ball enough.
7. Staking. When staking trees make sure the stakes are equidistant from the tree and away from utility markings. Also keep in mind that stakes need to be installed in undisturbed soil. Many kinds of staking materials are on the market. Strong wire and old hoses are some of the most popular, but anything strong will work keeping in mind that there needs to be something around the trunk of the tree to protect it from damaging it. Tree stakes should only be left on newly planted trees for at least the first growing season and ordinarily no longer than two years. The tree can (and will) outgrow the staking materials and begin to grow around the materials and weaken that area of the tree and become a falling hazard during a storm. Staking trees is a debatable practice. Rosehill Gardens’ practice on staking trees is based on an as needed basis. Rosehill Gardens’ will stake trees when requested or if the site is extremely windy or uneven. Otherwise, Rosehill Gardens’ relies on the tree to establish itself and make itself stronger by not relying on the tree stakes.
Following these 7 steps will help insure a successful tree installation. Safety should always be first and foremost. Properly digging, amending, and watering are the main keys to the proper establishment of newly planted trees. Mulching and staking are ways to help protect the newly installed tree from mechanical damage and Mother Nature.