Pro Tips for How and When to Plant Trees

They add shape, structure, and visual appeal. Trees improve air quality for better health, and can reduce your homes energy by 20-50%! They provide a home for local birds and other wildlife, and some studies even show that they reduce stress and benefit mental health. In order to gain all these benefits, it’s important that you know when and how to plant and care for your trees.

You can plant your trees in the fall or early spring as the cool temperatures promote root growth and energy focus on forming healthy roots. When you plant during other times, the heat can cause stress, too much rain can drown roots, and trees spend their energy on growing buds and leaves instead of establishing their roots. Planting your trees in the fall gives them the best chance of flourishing in your garden year after year.

Tips for Planting Trees

When you’re planting trees there are several easy steps:

1. Dig a rounded hole at least twice the width of the root ball.

2. Center the root ball in the hole and make sure the root flare is at or slightly above the rim of the hole. Be sure to water before planting to loosen the root. Make sure that the hole is clean of any organic debris such as twigs, leaves, or pine cones.

3. While holding the tree upright, fill the hole with the displaced soil and pack well to eliminate excess air pockets.

4. Add quality fertilizer that contains mycorrhizae to support healthy root growth.

5. Add a few inches of organic mulch and water your tree deeply.

Tips from the Pros

• Start planting your trees in Mid-August to Mid-October or as the ground thaws in spring.
• Make sure your soil is no less than 50 degrees.
• Plant the sapling as soon as possible (if you can’t plant right away store in a cool dark place).
• Pay attention to the root flare when planting. If it’s too deep the tree will suffer and fail.
• Water newly planted trees 2-3 times a week (in dry periods or dry climates with sandy soil, water daily).
• Stake the tree this support can be removed after a year.
• If planted a bit too late, bolster the health of your tree with plenty of water, microrrizea fertilizer, pruning, and disease protection.

Now that you have all the information you need, check out our amazing selections of trees. Our quality and your satisfaction are guaranteed.