So you’ve finally finished your research, picked out your perfect tree and brought it home. You just dig a hole and pop it in the ground right? Nope. If you want your tree to thrive in your landscape, you have to set up your tree for success on planting. That will mean paying attention to several details and doing a bit extra than you might have thought initially. Lets dig in (pun intended).
First off let’s talk about the ground you are putting your tree into. Many areas around the Central Valley have hard pan. This is a layer of compressed soil under the topsoil layer. It can be rock like and is very hard to penetrate. Unfortunately if you have hard pan, you do need to break through it for the sake of your tree. That layer is impenetrable for roots and causes water to not drain properly. Heavy clay soils can also be difficult to work with because they do not have much pore space and do not allow water to drain freely. You want to balance out the soil with organic material that will break up the clay to allow tree roots to penetrate easier and water to drain more freely. Most nurseries and home improvement stores with a garden center will have good mixes for this and are usually labeled as such. If you happen to be on the luckier side your yard may have sandy soil (personally mine is around 80% sand). Great for digging in! But it also has its drawbacks. Sandy soil is very well draining, which is important, but that also means a lot of nutrients get leached out of the soil. If you have sandy soil make sure you get a good compost to mix in to give your newly planted tree an extra boost for growth and establishment, and to keep in more of that moisture. Regardless of the type of soil you have, you want to try and balance it out to have a good combination of sand, silt, clay, and organic material that will be the perfect environment for tree roots. While it may not be strictly necessary to use a soil amendment when planting a tree, by doing so you will increase your likelihood of success.
So let's talk about digging that hole. This may seem like something that doesn’t need to be covered but bare with me here. When I worked in a nursery I would get a lot of people returning trees that had been planted too deep and the tree roots suffocated (yes, they breathe). So let me share a few tidbits to make sure that won't be you. Do not ever plant your tree so that the root ball and existing soil that you have pulled out of the pot sit below your soil level once the tree is in the ground. If you do this can one: suffocate the roots as previously mentioned; two: cause water to pool near the trunk, or keep the trunk damp from soil against it causing rot; three: allow an avenue for pests to attack the weakened part of the trunk from soil piled too high above the root flare. Planting deep works for tomatoes, it does not work for trees. Please do your tree a favor and plant it with the existing root ball 1-2 inches above your soil level. This means you do not want to dig your hole any deeper than the depth of the pot. The only exception to this is when you need to break through that hard pan and amend heavy soil. You will however want to dig the hole minimally twice as wide as the pot your tree came in. You want the soil immediately surrounding your tree fairly loose and easy for the new little roots to grow through and establish. In addition to the size you want to make sure that the sides of the hole you just dug are not smooth from the blade of the shovel. This can actually create a barrier for roots making it more difficult for them to reach out to surrounding area and become well established. This is especially important for heavier ground as the clay particles can form a hard wall between the loose amended soil and the surrounding soil if left smooth.
Let's move on to getting the tree in the ground. When you pull the tree out of its nursery container make sure you loosen up that root ball so the roots can break out of that form they have been cramped in and spread out into the soil. Depending on how big your tree is at planting this step can be more challenging, especially if it's a 24 inch box or larger. It's ok to whack the root ball with the back of a shovel to help loosen things up, it won't hurt the tree just make sure to not sever the roots with the blade. While you are loosening the roots, check for any major roots that are circling the container and don't pop out of the original shape when loosened. If they continue growing in a circle you could have problems with your tree once it is mature from roots that have grown around and girdled the tree. This is also a great time to examine the roots to check for severe damage or pests. If you find anything suspicious, take a lot of pictures and show the nursery you purchased it from for assistance with either replacement or treatment solutions if necessary. Before you place the tree in the hole you have the option to add in a bit of fertilizer. It is in no way a necessary step but if you find a good organic starter fertilizer that you want to add to the hole, go for it! Oftentimes this helps with quicker root growth out into the surrounding soil for faster establishment, but in general trees do not need fertilization.
Now you can situate your tree in the hole, paying attention to the direction branches are growing and adjusting it to what looks the most aesthetically pleasing to you. Remember to keep the root ball of the tree slightly above your soil level, adding a bit more dirt to the bottom of the hole if necessary. Backfill the hole with the amended soil you dug out, making sure it is firm to hold the tree in place but not packed. Give your tree a good watering to soak both the root ball of the tree and the soil surrounding it and down to the soil below the tree.
Now for staking your tree. Some trees do not require staking unless it’s planted in a windy area. These would be trees that do not have a “head” on a bare trunk, are fairly short (5 feet and below unless they are top heavy), and multi trunked trees. In general though I recommend staking. When you stake your tree make sure you have the appropriate sized stake for the height of the tree. The poles should be placed in the ground just outside the existing root ball and placed in line with the prevailing winds (or whatever looks good to you since that can be a pain to find info on). Make sure to drive the stake far enough into the ground to remain steady with the wind. Use rubber straps to wrap around the tree to each stake (one strap per stake). It’s important that you use a strap that can stretch and that is wide enough to not dig into the young bark of the tree or cause too much friction. The tree should be stable after you place the straps but still allow the tree to move. This prevents the tree from falling over and breaking any young roots as well as encourages the tree to stabilize itself and not rely on the stakes for support long term. Remove the training stake if your tree has one immediately on planting, this is no longer of any use to your tree and could actually cause problems. One more thing about staking your tree; don’t leave it staked for too long. You should only need to keep your tree staked for one or two growing seasons after planting. If you leave the stakes there for too long the tree will be too dependent on the stakes and not establish a strong root system for support. Also the straps if left can cause too much friction and dig into the young bark causing damage to the growing part of the trunk and a wound for insects and diseases to enter.
The last few things about planting a new tree relate to protecting it from sun and water loss. Some trees have more tender bark when they are young and using tree wrap can prevent the sunburn that would cause significant damage down the road. A couple trees that especially need protection are ornamental cherries and plums, camphor trees, and bay laurels. You only need to use tree wrap here in the Central Valley during the summer when the sun is the most intense. We are lucky enough to not need any winter protection for most plants that we grow. You can remove the tree wrap in the fall when weather is cooler and the suns intensity has gone down. Additionally you do not need to do this for the whole life of the tree. You only need to use it for the first several years until the canopy is large enough to protect the trunk. Another thing that you should do for all your plants, not just your tree, is use mulch! Mulch is so effective and is a game changer here in the valley because it keeps in so much more moisture in the soil than if you did not use it. This cuts down on watering frequency which is important as our water restrictions only continue to grow. Additionally the use of mulch keeps the tree roots cooler, which help it to stand up against our summer heat and thrive instead of just survive. Not all mulch is created equal though. My preference is to use any leftover amendment as mulch. When planting I usually have enough after amending my soil to use the planting mix as my mulch as well. This is great because as water filters through it, it will carry more nutrients from the amendment to the roots. You can use commercial mulch that has been dyed but it’s best to try and use the most natural thing possible. Rock is also an option but I will caution that it reflects a lot more heat onto your plant than wood mulch or other material. Definitely do not use black rock as this also heats up the soil.
One final thing about planting in general is the season. You CAN plant in any season here in the Central Valley. That does not mean that you SHOULD. It is best to avoid summer at all costs. It definitely can be done but your tree will need a lot more watching for heat stress, watering, and sunburn. Even if you do everything right when you plant in the summer your tree could still end up dying on you. Spring and fall are the best times to plant. In general I think evergreens in the fall and deciduous in the spring, though both seasons are excellent for either.
Is all of this necessary for planting a tree? Absolutely not. You could just dig a hole and pop that little sapling in the ground. These are suggested methods to increase the likelihood of success for your tree in the short and long term. Even if you did just one or two of these things it will benefit your new tree in establishing itself quicker, which translates to quicker growth and a healthier tree now and in maturity.
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