Proper Tree Planting

Fall is the best time of year to plant trees in your landscape.  Proper tree and site selection are critical to the long-term success of your trees.  Large trees will eventually outgrow small planting areas where the root system is restricted.  The trees will eventually begin to decline and die.  Also, soil pH greatly affects the types of trees that can be planted in an area.  Trees that thrive in east Texas will usually not perform well in other areas of the state.  A certified arborist can help you select a tree that is right for your area.

Nursery grown trees come in several forms including bare root, balled and burlapped, and container grown.  Bare root trees need to be protected from drying out when planting.  After placement in the hole, wire baskets, twine, and burlap should be removed from around balled and burlapped trees.  Care should be taken when removing trees from plastic containers, and roots circling around the root ball should be cut with a knife to encourage roots to grow out into the existing soil. 

One of the most common problems associated with tree planting is planting the tree too deep.  Planting holes should be shallow so that the top of the root ball is two to four inches higher than the surrounding soil, especially for trees grown in organic material.  Planting holes should be at least two to three times as wide as the root ball to encourage horizontal root growth.  In most cases, the hole should be backfilled with the existing soil that was removed from the hole.  A low-burn/low-salt index fertilizer with slow-release nitrogen should be incorporated into the backfill to promote root and shoot growth.  The soil should be watered thoroughly to settle out air pockets.

For more information about proper tree planting, go to:

https://www.treesaregood.org/Portals/0/TreesAreGood_Pruning%20Mature%20Trees_0721_1.pdf