Simple Tips to Plant a Tree This Fall


Photo courtesy of bcio.org

Photo courtesy of bcio.org

If you’re a DIY-type, you probably know that fall is great time to prepare your yard and garden for the following spring season. It’s also an ideal time to plant trees and shrubs around your home. Below, we’ve shared a few tips to help you get the tree in the ground before the first frost.

  1. Think About Location: The experts suggest choosing a spot to plant your tree or shrub before you purchase it. This will ensure you don’t end up with a tree that will become a nuisance in the future by blocking a view or other plants or growing too close to the house.
  2. Dig to the Proper Depth: Make sure the tree or shrub is set in a hole that is the proper depth. The root ball should not sit above the hole and the soil should not cover any part of the trunk.
  3. Fertilize Before Placing the Plant: Before placing the root ball in the ground, be sure to spread some time-release fertilizer in the hole. Be sure to follow the proportion recommendations printed on the side of the fertilizer bag and measure carefully.
  4. Untangle the Root Ball: Experts recommend breaking up the compacted root ball with your hands to loosen the soil after you’ve taken the tree or shrub out of the burlap or container it arrived in. Doing so will allow the roots to venture out where they can get water before it freezes.
  5. Create a Water Ring: When filling the hole with soil, create a “water ring” by mounding the soil in a rung around the root ball at the trees drip line. This will ensure water will stay near the root ball when it rains or after the tree is watered.

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One thought on “Simple Tips to Plant a Tree This Fall

  • ShellWhip

    2014 was the year of the backyard for my house – it’s beautiful. Planted some gorgeous crape myrtles, crabapple, azaleas, etc.