Planting trees is an amazing idea as it is amazing for the Earth, as well as adding value to your property. But beware to plant trees in the correct spot or serious consequences may occur. This is why you should hire a professional to do the job right the first time! Today I am going to be going over the Do’s and Don’ts of planting trees.
There are many types of trees that have many different requirements about when and where they should be planted! Things such as when they are planted, soil, amount of sunlight, and overall area condition are all factors to planting trees. It is best to plant trees in the spring or fall with early spring being the better option. If you plant trees in the spring or fall, they have more time to develop their roots and canopy, which will allow them to better survive the scorching heat and droughts of summer and the freezing temperatures/frozen water of winter.
Early spring is a great time to plant trees because it gives the tree time to develop and grow before it gets too hot or too cold for them to survive. Before you begin to plant, look at the type of soil the area has and what tree will best fit the soil. This is important as some trees require damper soil and others sandy soil. You should also look at your property and decide how much sun the area gets. This is vital to a tree’s survival, for some need not too much sun, and others not too little sun. Certain trees like full sun while others prefer the shade. Overall, the woods are the best place to plant your trees as all the decomposing debris from trees put nutrients into the soil, which is good for trees overall health and survival.
Beware because improper planting can result in serious effects for both you and your tree! There are many things you want to avoid when planting trees, including planting too close to structures, piling mulch at the base of the tree, after it’s been planted, and over or under watering them. When planting trees do not plant them near any structures, pipes, or sidewalks because as the tree’s roots grow and expand it will break and crack any structures, pipes, or sidewalks in its way of growing.
Another planting flaw (AND THIS IS A BIG ONE) many people make is after planting a tree they will pile up mulch around the base of the tree. This, sadly, causes girdling roots. Girdling roots are when a tree’s roots wrap around the trunk, cutting off the cambium layer which suffocates the tree.
We also sometimes make the mistake of planting trees in the summer or winter, with results that are bad for your tree. In the summer droughts often occur leaving the tree stressed from lack of water, not letting the tree develop its roots deep in the ground yet, while in the winter all the water freezes, killing it from the lack of water.
Watering your tree is great, don’t get me wrong, but overwatering can be dangerous. When you plant a tree, watering is important or the tree will not grow correctly and it will stress, but overwatering the tree can be more dangerous because it drenches the soil, drowning the tree’s air pockets.
Overall beware to plant your tree right to give it a happy, healthy life!
