Planting Your New Tree
Trees are an investment in time and money. Knowing how to plant your tree properly, protects your investment and assures your investment will thrive.
Site Selection
When choosing the correct site for your tree, consider how tall and wide it will be once it reaches maturity. Often trees are planted too close together, creating serious issues as they mature. Plant them far enough away from fences and overhead powerlines.
Planting & Backfill
Once you've selected your planting site, you can dig the planting hole. The hole width should be two to three inches wider and slightly deeper than the pot or ball. If the tree is in a pot you will remove the pot at this time and place the root ball in your hole. If your tree is balled and burlap leave the burlap around the ball when placing the tree. Before back filling add Dr. JimZ 3-2-1 Grow Tabs around the root ball. Mix a small amount of Zamzows Compost Plus or Zamzows Planting Mix with the soil you removed. A mix of 25% compost to 75% original soil is sufficient. As you are backfilling, adjust the level of the tree keeping the trunk straight. As you are finishing, don't bury the crown. The crown is a thicker section at the bottom of the trunk where the trunk goes into the ground.
Staking
Staking your tree will keep your tree from blowing over during heavy winds. The stake should be roughly the same diameter as the tree's trunk. Bury the stake two to three feet from the trunk, or just past the root ball. Once the stake is in place, tie some stretchable gardening tape to the stake. Wrap the tape around the trunk and back to the stake and tie it off. The tape should not prevent the trunk from moving and swaying. As the tree moves and sways the trunk will become strengthened.
Watering
After planting water your tree for the first time, use some extra soil to create a small well around the tree trunk. Add 1 cup of Zamzows Thrive per inch of trunk diameter to the well. Then fill the well with water. Once the water has soaked into the soil, fill the well up again two more times. Overwatering is the number one killer of new plantings. You will only need to water your tree two or three times per week. To water, turn your hose on to a slow trickle and leave it under the tree for 30 - 40 minutes.
Things To Look Out For
Site Selection
When choosing the correct site for your tree, consider how tall and wide it will be once it reaches maturity. Often trees are planted too close together, creating serious issues as they mature. Plant them far enough away from fences and overhead powerlines.
Planting & Backfill
Once you've selected your planting site, you can dig the planting hole. The hole width should be two to three inches wider and slightly deeper than the pot or ball. If the tree is in a pot you will remove the pot at this time and place the root ball in your hole. If your tree is balled and burlap leave the burlap around the ball when placing the tree. Before back filling add Dr. JimZ 3-2-1 Grow Tabs around the root ball. Mix a small amount of Zamzows Compost Plus or Zamzows Planting Mix with the soil you removed. A mix of 25% compost to 75% original soil is sufficient. As you are backfilling, adjust the level of the tree keeping the trunk straight. As you are finishing, don't bury the crown. The crown is a thicker section at the bottom of the trunk where the trunk goes into the ground.
Staking
Staking your tree will keep your tree from blowing over during heavy winds. The stake should be roughly the same diameter as the tree's trunk. Bury the stake two to three feet from the trunk, or just past the root ball. Once the stake is in place, tie some stretchable gardening tape to the stake. Wrap the tape around the trunk and back to the stake and tie it off. The tape should not prevent the trunk from moving and swaying. As the tree moves and sways the trunk will become strengthened.
Watering
After planting water your tree for the first time, use some extra soil to create a small well around the tree trunk. Add 1 cup of Zamzows Thrive per inch of trunk diameter to the well. Then fill the well with water. Once the water has soaked into the soil, fill the well up again two more times. Overwatering is the number one killer of new plantings. You will only need to water your tree two or three times per week. To water, turn your hose on to a slow trickle and leave it under the tree for 30 - 40 minutes.
Things To Look Out For
- Overwatering - An overwatered tree will develop pale yellow leaves. Stop water ing and inspect the soil 4-6 inches below the soil surface every few days and wait to start watering again once the soil has dried out.
- Staking - Your tree will only need to be staked and tied up for three to four months. Every month adjust the tape to make sure it isn't cutting into the bark.
- Sun Scald - It is not uncommon for newly planted trees to develop sunscald. Sunscald is basically a sunburn on the trunk. To prevent sunscald, you can hang a shade cloth from a lower branch on the west side of the tree. Sunscald won't kill your tree, but you may notice a wound develop in that area over two to three years.
- Borers - Young trees are the most susceptible to serious damage from borers. Applying Zamzows Tree & Shrub shortly after planting will protect your tree from chewing and sucking insects for an entire year.