Tree Planting Tips

Consider the following statements – true or false?

ALL of these statements are false, and yet many repeat them as time-honored tradition. Research has proven otherwise.

If you want a tree to survive and thrive, follow these suggestions instead:

•    Smaller trees – up to about 6 feet in height or up to about 1-inch caliper – are
      much easier to transplant and will re-establish much more quickly than a larger
      tree in a small container, which is likely to have a very poor root system. A
      larger tree may suffer transplant shock for 5-10 years, during which time a
      smaller tree will have surpassed it in growth rate and size.

•    Dig a shallow hole that is 2 to 5 times wider than the root ball. You must find the
      root flare first, and dig the hole only deep enough to position the root flare at or
      slightly above soil grade. The root flare is that widening of the trunk at its base
      to join the roots; it may be buried or hidden within the container mix or ball of
      soil. The root mass should be resting on undisturbed soil, and your planting hole
      should be a wide, shallow bowl, not a deep narrow cup.

•    Do give the roots a “bad hair day”! It is important to loosen and examine the
      roots of a container-grown tree before planting. Kinked, girdling, damaged,
      defective, and very long roots should be trimmed. This does not harm the plant;
      it will encourage the growth of healthy new roots and may prevent the future
      problems of a poor root system. When working with roots, keep them moist and
      shaded at all times. On a balled-and-burlapped tree, all twine and burlap should
      be removed, and as much of the wire basket as possible. Do remove enough of
      the soil ball at the top to find the root flare, but you don’t need to break up the
      rest of the ball unless there are circling roots.

•    In average garden soil, do not amend the backfill soil with organic matter.
     Loosen it and break up large clumps before backfilling around the roots. If the
     soil is extremely poor, mix up to 10% by volume of organic matter into the
     backfill. Amending the backfill soil with copious amounts of organic matter
     (compost, manure, or peat moss, for instance) changes its texture, which makes
     it very difficult for the roots to grow beyond the planting hole. A strong tree will
     have roots spreading outward into native soil, not circling within amended
     backfill soil.

•    Do not mound mulch up around the trunk of a tree. This is called a “mulch
     volcano,” and we all know that trees don’t grow in volcanoes. Mulch should be
     applied in a thin flat layer, 3 to 4 inches thick, spread over as much of the root
     zone under the tree’s canopy as you can manage, with an area left bare directly
     around the tree’s trunk. Mulch piled right against the trunk keeps the bark moist,
     which can lead to insect and disease problems; it  also provides habitat for
     nibbling animals such as mice and voles; and can lead to girdling roots by
     interfering with oxygen and water absorption by the roots.

•    Newly transplanted trees should not be pruned to ‘balance’ the crown and roots.
     The leaf canopy provides energy to the roots to help them begin growing.
      Pruning stimulates the tree to expend energy on new top growth at the expense
      of root growth. The only pruning that should be done at planting is to remove
      broken, dead, or defective branches. Give roots at least one year to become
      established before pruning the tree for structure.

Once your tree is properly planted, continue to keep it watered (moist but not saturated soil throughout the root zone) for at least the first year after transplanting. These guidelines, more than any transplant potions or out-dated advice, will ensure a healthy tree for the long term.