Ten Rules for Planting Trees EDITED 8/15/20
Planning an exterior home improvement job? Planting a tree? Installing a fence or deck? Whether you are planning to do it yourself or hire a professional, smart digging means calling 811 before each job – even small projects like planting trees and shrubs. The depth of utility lines varies and there may be multiple utility lines in a common area. Digging without calling can disrupt service to an entire neighborhood, harm you and those around you and potentially result in fines and repair costs. Calling 811 before every digging job gets your underground utility lines marked for free and helps prevent undesired consequences.
Contributors: Ward Upham, Kansas State University Extension Associate
Before you begin spring landscaping, here are some tips
on planting trees.
1. Select the right tree for the site. To avoid serious
problems, choose trees that are adapted to your location.
Consider whether the tree produces nuisance fruit or if
there are disease-resistant varieties available. For example, there are a number of crabapple
varieties that are resistant to apple scab and rust diseases. Also consider the mature size of a tree
to be sure you have enough room. See
http://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/info-center/recommended-plants/index.html or ask a local
nurseryman for suggestions for trees adapted to your area.
2. Keep the tree well watered and in a shady location until planting. When moving the tree, lift it
by the root ball or pot and not by the trunk.
3. Before planting, remove all wires, labels, cords or anything else tied to the plant. If left on,
they may eventually girdle the branch to which they are attached. The root flare (point where
trunk and roots meet) should be visible. If it isn’t, remove enough soil or media so that it is.
4. Dig a proper hole. Make the hole deep enough so that the tree sits slightly above nursery level.
Plant the tree on solid ground, not fill dirt. In other words, don’t dig the hole too deep and then
add soil back to the hole before placing the tree.
The width of the planting hole is very important. It should be three times the width of the root
ball. Loosening the soil outside the hole so it is five times the diameter of the root ball will allow
the tree to spread its roots faster.
5. Remove all containers from the root ball. Cut away plastic and peat pots; roll burlap and wire
baskets back into the hole, cutting as much of the excess away as possible. If you can remove the
wire basket without disturbing the root ball, do it. If roots have been circling around in the
container, cut them and spread them out so they do not continue growing so that they circle
inside the hole and become girdling roots later in the life ofthe tree.
6. Back fill the hole with the same soil that was removed. Amendments such as peat moss likely
do more harm than good. Make sure the soil that goes back is loosened – no clods or clumps. Add
water as you fill to ensure good root to soil contact and prevent air pockets. There is no need to
fertilize at planting. Note: Adding organic matter to larger area than just the planting hole can be
beneficial, but it must be mixed in thoroughly with the existing soil and should “feather out”
toward the outside edge of the area. Adding amendments to just the planting hole in heavy soil
creates a “pot” effect that can fill with water and drown your new tree.
7. Don’t cut back the branches of a tree after planting except those that are rubbing or damaged.
The leaf buds release a hormone that encourages root growth. If the tree is cut back, the reduced
number of leaf buds results in less hormone released and therefore fewer roots being formed.
8. Water the tree thoroughly and then once a week for the first season if there is insufficient
rainfall.
9. Mulch around the tree. Mulch should be 2 to 4 inches deep and cover an area two the three
times the diameter of the root ball. Mulching reduces competition from other plants, conserves
moisture and keeps soil temperature closer to what the plants’ roots prefer.
10. Stake only when necessary. Trees will establish more quickly and grow faster if they are not
staked. However, larger trees or those in windy locations may need to be staked the first year.
Movement is necessary for the trunk to become strong. Staking should be designed to limit
movement of the root ball rather than immobilize the trunk. (Ward Upham