Ensure success for years to come by properly planting trees

If you are looking to plant a tree for the upcoming Arbor Day or anytime this year, there are a few things you will want to keep in mind.

The most common mistake when planting trees today is planting too deep. Many purchased trees have the root flare buried in the root ball or pot. The root flare is the area where the roots meet the trunk commonly identified by a flaring of the trunk. If this excess soil is not removed, the root flare “suffocates” from excess soil resulting in a disruption of water and nutrient uptake, starting a downward spiral for the tree. It can also result in the tree roots wrapping around the trunk and eventually girdling the tree.

To ensure your tree is not planted too deep, do not plant the tree at the same soil level it currently has. Instead, remove the soil until you find the flare. You may need to remove 6-9 inches of soil. Then, make sure the bottom of the collar is above ground level.

When digging the hole for your tree, dig the hole only as deep as the root ball, after finding the root flare, and no deeper so the soil under the root ball is undisturbed. This will prevent the tree from settling. Dig the hole two to three times as wide as the root ball. This will allow roots to grow more easily outwards. Do not add soil amendments. Simply use the soil removed from the hole as backfill.

Watering a newly planted tree is extremely important to ensure it establishes and stays healthy for years to come. Newly-planted trees need to be watered daily for the first two weeks, three days a week for the next 12 weeks and once a week until the roots are established. You can figure out how long it will take for the roots to establish and how much water your tree needs at each watering by measuring the trunk caliper. For a tree with a caliper less than 4 inches, take the measurement at 6 inches above the ground. For a tree whose trunk caliper is greater than 4 inches, measure at 12 inches above the ground. For each inch of trunk caliper your tree will take one-and-a-half years to establish and six quarts of water at each watering.

You may want to add some wood chips or other mulch around the base of your tree to make mowing easier. Mulch should not contact the trunk; meaning it should not look like a volcano at the bottom of your tree. Mulch helps to conserve soil moisture and eliminates competition from turf. However, if it is mounded up and in contact with the trunk it will ultimately cause more issues than it fixes. Avoid using rock, landscape block and landscape fabric around your tree.

Do not wrap trees during the growing season. Wrap can hold moisture next to the trunk and serve as a home for insects. Some wraps can also cause sun damage to the trunk of the tree which is harmful. Wraps can be used in the winter to protect from deer and other wildlife damage.

Finally, be sure to consider the tree’s mature height and breadth when choosing its planting location. You would hate to need to remove your tree in a few years because it is planted too close to your house or growing into a power line.

This article was submitted by Katie Drewitz, University of Minnesota Extension. v

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