How to Plant a Tree – Everything You Need to Know

Time Your Tree Planting Just Right

While you can technically plant a tree any time of the year, some seasons are better than others. When it comes to when and how to plant a tree, we get you up and digging in short order here.

Landscapers and homeowners can’t always wait for the best time to plant, and trees do get bought and planted year round in many parts of the country. So while you can pretty much plant a tree any time of year, there is a best time for most trees.

Fall is the best season to plant trees, followed by spring as the second best. 

Fall is the Best Time to Plant Trees

Fall is generally filled with pleasant weather, scattered rain showers, and cooler, moderate temperatures. The rain allows the tree to establish roots relatively quickly, and the cool air prevents scorching, drought, and other stressors for your new tree. 

It is a common misconception that young trees cannot survive the winter; that’s a myth. Trees go dormant in cold weather, which is the equivalent of a bear hibernating. This dormancy period slows down everything about the tree, from its growth, energy needs, thirst, and metabolism. 

If you can still stick your spade into the ground, it isn’t too late in the season to plant a tree. Generally speaking, if the ground isn’t frozen, it is safe to plant trees. 

If the ground isn’t frozen, it is generally safe to plant most trees. 

Choose The Tree’s Location Carefully

Droughts, floods, storms, wind, and insects can pose a threat to trees but not nearly as significant of a threat as improper tree placement. 

In urban settings especially, trees are at a greater risk of being cut down by people than they are to suffer from natural disasters. 

One of the most common mistakes people new to planning landscape design tend to do is to forget to plan for the future size the tree will grow to be. To prevent the need for tree removal in the future, carefully consider the space where you intend to plant your tree. 

Your Little Tree Will Grow Up – Factors to Consider

• BUILDINGS: Is it too close to other structures such as homes, outbuildings, or commercial spaces? 
• ROOTS: Will the tree pose a threat to sidewalks, driveways, or concrete spaces? Roots grow broader and deeper than you may think; Expect a radius of one foot of root growth for every one inch of tree trunk diameter.  A tree with a fourteen-inch trunk will have roots that spread out approximately fourteen feet, so be sure there will be plenty of room for roots.
• UTILITIES: Is there a chance the tree can grow too close to underground utilities such as power lines, fiber optic cable, water main, septic or sewer system? If you’ve ever had your power go off because someone was digging up the street, you’ll understand the need for prevention. If you’re located in the United States, be sure to call 811 before you dig as a safety precaution. This can save you from immediate and costly repair bills or eventual tree removal as the tree matures. 
• ELEMENTS: How much sunshine and rainwater does the space receive? A tree of desert origin will not fare well near a ditch line, and a weeping willow tree will not survive an arid hilltop. 

A common mistake in landscape design is to fail to plan for how big that little plant will grow up to be.

Dig a Big Planting Hole

Dig the hole to be three times wider than the tree’s root mass and the same depth as the tree was previously planted. 

Look for the trunk flare of the tree. The trunk flare should be located right at the soil surface but never submerged in the soil.  The root flare is the place where the topmost root emerges from the trunk.

It is best to plant trees a little high rather than a little too low. Place the tree at a level where 25% of the root flare is above the surrounding ground and then taper more soil to cover the roots. This method allows the tree to settle without falling below grade, creating a water bowl effect that would collect and pool excessive rain and create a number of other issues.

When planting a tree, dig hole 3x wider than the tree root ball.

Inspect the Tree and Tease Apart Root-Bound Roots

Slide the tree from its pot and inspect the roots. Shake and dig away at the soil if necessary. 

If the roots are tightly wrapped up within themselves or the pot or make a circular pattern taking up the shape of the pot, this is called being root-bound. You’ll want to break that pattern immediately. 

Rootbound trees have learned that they have limited space and have stopped trying to grow outwards and downwards. This will result in a prolonged death for the tree. 

Scratch your fingers at the sides and bottom of the root ball to tease the roots outwards and break the pattern. 

You may need to pull, break, or even cut the roots to untangle them for more severe cases. Trees can lose up to thirty percent of their roots without too much stress or issue. Don’t worry about cutting out too much of the root, because more than likely, your new tree will fare just fine. 

Trees can lose up to thirty percent of their roots without too much stress or issue.

To Amend or not to Amend the Soil

Experts do not agree on the subject of adding amendments to improve the soil when planting a tree. There’s good reason for the differences of opinion, for there’s no one easy answer.

Reasons NOT to Amend the Soil

While it is tempting to amend the hole with vital nutrients for your new tree, most experts these days say not to. 

Trees planted into amended soil tend not to venture into the surrounding, natural, and native ground. This results in a minor and weaker root system resulting in stunted growth and a weaker tree overall. 

When the tree roots that are thriving in the healthy amendments reach the barren native walls and floor of the hole, they may not be strong enough to push into the harsher surroundings. The effect could become akin to being pot bound.

Trees planted directly into native soil (even soil lacking some nutrients) tend to grow stronger and healthier than trees planted into amended, nutritionally dense soil. ^[1]https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/403/2015/03/soil-amendments.pdf^[2]https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/amendments.shtml

However, regularly applying a layer of mulch around a tree and the surrounding area will help to restore depleted soil over time.

MYTH: You need to amend soil when planting trees, especially in poor soil.
Research reveals that amended trees often don’t thrive after the first couple years.

Reasons TO Amend the Soil When Planting a Tree

When is it good to amend the soil when planting a tree?

If you have really poor, nutrient depleted soil, or a hard clay soil, and/or if you’ve had troubled trees before, then you might consider planting a tree with amendments. However, you’ll need to dig a bigger planting hole and add only well composted amendments, worked into the existing soil as much as possible to give it the best chance for success.

Planting Trees in Clay Soil

How to Plant a Tree in 7 Simple Steps

Prior to adding amendments, you’ll need to till and/or break up the

1. DIG a hole that’s 3x the size of the root ball
2. LOOSEN the soil in floor and walls:
   • tilling to loosen existing soil and mix in amendments
   • break up hard walls and clay soil with mattock or pick to allow tree roots access
   • water soil to help settle before adding the tree
3. BLEND in organic matter such as:
   • leaves
   • compost
   • soil
   • composted pine bark
4. PLACE the tree upright in the hole:
   • If your tree is in a pot, carefully lay pot on its side, firmly grasp the tree trunk and tug it from the pot. It the tree is rootbound, you can clip the roots preventing release.
   • Remove carefully, any binding such as wire mesh, burlap, twine and straps
   • Loosen root ball carefully with fingers to and gently spread out the roots
   • Position it in the hole so that the root flare is ~25% above surface level
   • View from different angles to be sure tree is upright and not leaning
   • Tie it into position if needed to remain upright
5. BACKFILL the hole with dirt:
   • Spread and packing dirt evenly around root ball.
   • Keep flare of tree (topmost roots) above the ground level
   • Adjust position as needed to keep trunk straight from all angles
6. WATER with high powered hose nozzle set on jet (or similar) to help eliminate air pockets and compress the soil gently while delivering water to the roots
7. MULCH around the tree

Water your new tree regularly, as needed to maintain moisture without saturation, until it is well established.