Planting Tips
When trees are planted too deep the roots may decline or they may grow upward and ruin
lawns and crack sidewalks. It is better to plant where water must be added rather than
drained. On wet or clay sites, plant on a mound.
• Plant at the depth the tree grew in the nursery.
• Prepare a large planting site, not just a small hole.
• Loosen the soil deep and far beyond the drip line.
• Do not add peat moss unless soil structure is poor.
• Cut wires if tree is in a wire basket and remove all non-biodegradable material.
• Remove only dead and injured branches and roots.
• Mulch with a thin layer of composted material
• Do not fertilize until the next growing season.
• Keep annuals and grass away from the new tree.
• Tree wrap is cosmetic only.
• Plant at the depth where roots spread from the trunk.
• Prepare a planting site, not just a hole in the ground.
• Loosen the soil far beyond the dripline of the tree.
• Brace the tree only if it will not remain upright in a moderate wind.
• Brace with broad, belt-like materials that won’t injure the bark.
• Mulch away from the trunk with composted material.
• Keep soil moist, not water-logged to the depth of the roots.
• Remove dead and dying branches.
• Wait until the second growing season to begin training cuts for shaping and to
begin fertilizing.
Trees provide many benefits for people and many other living things. The major benefit
is that they trap more of the sun’s energy than any other group of living things on this
earth.
In a sense, trees bring in a great amount of “biological money” to our earth.
When your money is spent on treatments that hurt rather than help the tree, your money
and the tree’s biological money are both wasted.
Saving money for everybody is easy. All we need to do is learn a little about trees. Then
we should base our treatments on this information.
Start saving money by making the 5 simple adjustments. Then give your attention to
these other problems that waste biological money and your money.
1. Soil compaction by walkways, car parking, play areas.
2. Construction injury, no protection and no prior plans with the developer.
3. Holes, holes and more holes for repeated injections and implants.
4. Wounds inflicted by lawnmowers and string trimmers.
5. Over watering, especially in dry climate areas of the world.
6. Road, roads and more roads in forests and parks.
7. Roots cut for sidewalks and for lawns.
8. Soil rototilled near trees so flowers can be planted.
9. Digging deeply into cavities and filling with abrasive materials.
10. Over use and incorrect use of herbicides.
11. Changing grade and excessive fill over roots.
12. Excessive use of salts for removal of ice.
13. Neglect.
REMEMBER WILDLIFE
Trees support more communities of wildlife than any other living thing. When trees are
destroyed, wildlife habitats are destroyed. Proper tree care benefits wildlife too. Big,
old, healthy trees are best for wildlife