Are Your Planting Habits Helping or Hurting Your Trees?

There is nothing better than planting a tree and watching it grow over the years. That is if you follow the correct steps to have a healthy tree. Unfortunately, there are a lot of trees that don’t live to their potential because all the tree care steps aren’t followed correctly. We want you to be able to have a picnic or read a good book under this tree one day … so follow these recommended steps!

1) THE HOLE

The hole for your tree needs to be 2-3 times as wide as the tree’s root ball. Place the tree in the hole carefully, keeping the root ball intact.

Center the tree in the hole with the best side facing in the direction you’d like. Be sure not to plant the tree too deep into the hole. The root flare at the base of the trunk should be just above ground level.

2) THE FILL

Once the tree is positioned where you’d like, start filling the tree with soil. Be sure to keep the tree standing straight up. Continue to fill the hole and pack in the soil. You want to avoid pockets of air.

3) WATER

After planting your tree water it once a day for the first few weeks. Following that water it once a week. If you have a lot of rain in one week you should avoid watering it to prevent over watering. If it is very dry outside, water your tree twice a week. Most trees come with a tag that has watering instructions. Every tree is different so be sure to check the tag for the best results.

4) MULCHING

After planting and watering your tree, spread 2-4 inches of mulch around it. Keep a 3 foot diameter around the tree, avoiding the volcano habit. It is important not to have any mulch touching the base of the tree. This allows for the roots to breathe.

5) MONITOR YOUR TREE

Like we said before, keep an eye on the weather and adjust your watering schedule based on that. The warmer the weather the more you’ll want to water your tree. The wetter it is outside, the less you’ll water your tree. You want to keep the soil and mulch MOIST – but not soggy. Water your tree slowly, giving it time to absorb the water.

6) FEEDING YOUR TREE

Would you give a child under the age of 1 a can of soda? No because you want the child’s brain to only receive the nutrients it needs (unlike Coke). Resist the urge to fertilize your tree. These chemicals can sometimes do more harm to your tree than good. Wait at least a year before fertilizing it.

MISTAKES OF TREE PLANTING

1) LOCATION

Location and placement is key. There are many factors that go into planting and having a beautiful and healthy tree. There are some things that you need to think about before planting your tree.

How tall and wide is the tree going to get?
How much sun/shade does it need?
What are the soil requirements?
Will it create a mess in your driveway or back patio?

2) TOO SMALL OF A HOLE

Digging a hole that is too small can be harmful your tree. The main contributor to a healthy tree is healthy roots. A tree’s roots can grow 2-3 times as wide as the roots ball. Be sure to research and estimate how large your tree will grow.

3) PLANTING TOO DEEP

Putting your tree too deep into the ground can lead to your tree suffocating. The root flare at the base of the trunk should be just above ground level.

4) NOT WATERING ENOUGH

New trees like a lot of water for the first year or two. Try to plan a regular watering schedule for your tree. This will help to keep your tree healthy and growing for years to come.

Honey Cove Landscaping & Tree Services

Tree is in our name and it is what we love to do! So leave the tree planting to us! We love restoring your outdoors beauty and what a better way to than planting new trees? If you aren’t one of our happy customers and would love to learn more about our tree planting services, give us a call at 443-486-5812

Have questions about our tree planting services? Visit our website and fill out the contact us form and we will be in touch soon!

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