How To Plant A Tree

Written By: Kira Cazenave

Planting your own tree? For the best results to ensure that your new foliage friend is happy in its new home, follow the Friends Of Trees step by step guide to planting a balled and burlapped tree!

Remove plastic tags and prune off broken branches. Just like when you buy anything new, the first step you take to making it your own is removing the tags from it, right? Well the same goes for when you are planting your very own tree. Your first step to introducing your tree to its new home should be to remove the plastic tags from its branches and to prune off any broken branches.

Dig a hole to create a nest for your tree. To determine how big the hole should be, loosen the burlap and dig until you find the top root or root flare. Then, proceed to dig the hole so that it is as deep as the top root and twice the width of the root ball. As you dig the hole, try to keep the grass on one side and the soil on the other to minimize how much they mix. You want to have as much soil without grass as possible. To check that you have the proper planting depth, measure the height of the first major root against the initial hole depth by using a stake or tool handle. Adjust the hole as needed to ensure that the top root will be level with the top of the surrounding soil and use your shovel to break up the sides of the hole so that the roots are able to penetrate.

Use the burlap to set the tree in the hole. If the tree is encased in a small wire basket, remove the basket before putting the tree in the hole. If the basket is large, remove it by cutting it off after you place your tree in the hole.

Remove the burlap. Carefully tilt the tree to one side and tuck the burlap underneath it. Then, tilt the tree to the other side and pull the burlap out. Be careful not to break the root ball during this step in the process! Some arborists recommend leaving the burlap in the ground, but some burlap is chemically treated, so we recommend removing it completely.

Straighten and support the tree. Support your tree by putting soil at the bottom of it. At this point, you can very slightly compact the soil.

Finish adding the soil. Make sure to break up any large chunks of soil that you see and use your hands to gently compact the soil. After your tree is secure, use the remaining soil and grass to fill in around the base of the tree for additional support. Ideally, you want to only use soil so we urge you to try to get as much of the grass out as you can before adding the additional soil.

Add 5-10 gallons of water. Let the water soak into the soil slowly.

Add three inches of mulch. Make sure the mulch doesn’t touch the trunk of the tree. This will help prevent moisture from building up on the bark which will help protect it from bugs getting to it.

Stake your tree, if possible. Friends Of Trees does this to help protect the tree from cars and lawnmowers as well as to hold it upright during severe weather, such as wind. When fastening the knot on the stake, keep it loose so that the tree has some flexibility to move. This will teach the tree that it must grow a strong root system. When planting with Friends Of Trees, we add a sticker that reminds the home owner how to maintain their new tree and lets the neighbors know what kind of tree it is.

And finally, celebrate the successful planting of your new tree!

Congratulations! You just successfully planted your tree! Now it’s time to watch your new friend grow and thrive in its new home. Planting is just the start of a long relationship with your tree. Be sure to plan for maintenance like watering a pruning to best enjoy your new garden companion!