Tree Planting and Watering Instructions
Remove the plant from the container and gently place it in the hole.
For balled and bur lapped items:
- Once you have carefully placed the tree in the hole, make sure it is standing straight and back fill slightly to hold it in position.
- Cut and remove: All rope tied to the trunk, the top third of the wire basket and the exposed burlap.
Back fill the planting hole with a proper mix of soil.
Mix: One-third of any of the following: Compost, Tree and Shrub Mix, Humus or Peat Moss, WITH, two-thirds of the existing soil that came out of the hole.
Water thoroughly to eliminate air pockets and reduce transplant shock.
(Stake if needed)
Deciduous trees that are 1” caliper or larger, and Evergreens that are 4’ tall and larger should be staked for a minimum of one (1) year, preferably two (2) years.
IMPORTANT – Develop a proper watering plan for your location.
Many factors actually determine how often you will have to water your new plant. The soil condition at the planting location, the weather, possible irrigation run-off and other factors can all play a role in how often you will have to water. The recommended amount of water required for plants that have just been transplanted is fairly standard; however, the frequency can be very different from location to location. Conduct a soil moisture test as described below to determine how often you should water at your location.
Recommended amount of water per watering:
Trees: Apply approximately 10 gallons of water per inch of caliper, per watering. (example: a 2” tree should receive approximately 20 gallons of water per watering.)
Shrubs: Apply approximately 2-3 gallons of water per watering.
Soil Moisture Test
(Three or four days after the planting and initial watering begin the test)
- Dig a small hole with a garden trowel (8”–12” deep for trees) and (4”-6” deep for shrubs) at the base of the plant, between the root ball and the edge of the hole that was dug for the plant.
- Take some of the soil at that depth and squeeze it in your hand. If the soil clumps together and stays in a ball, no additional water is needed at that time. DO NOT water the plant, wait one or two more days and repeat steps 1 and 2.
- If the soil crumbles and won’t hold together in a ball, the plant needs water. Water the plant. Take note of how may days since you watered last.
- Wait three or four days and repeat steps 1 thru 4. Take note of how many days it took before your plant needed to be watered again.
- Based on the results from the first two tests, adjust the number of days before you check the soil and repeat the test. After just a few weeks of checking he soil before watering and making adjustments, you will get a good idea of how often your new plant will need to be watered at your location.
Watering newly transplanted trees and shrubs
At the time of planting:
Water each plant thoroughly to reduce transplant shock and eliminate air pockets around the root ball.
After initial watering, during the spring and summer months (April – Sept)
Many different watering methods are used for providing water to plants, they include: Hand watering, drip irrigation, lawn irrigation, soaker hoses, deep root watering devices, tree gators and others. Regardless of your watering method, it is best to conduct a soil moisture test prior to watering and develop a proper watering plan for your location. Follow the soil moisture test noted above and make adjustments based on your location and watering method.
During the fall and winter months (Oct – Mar)
Apply the same amount of water per watering as in the spring and summer; however, you can reduce the frequency to approximately once or twice per month. A good rule of thumb is to water often enough to maintain soil moisture in the root zone. This is critical to your plants survival through cold and dry winter months. Snow alone will not provide enough moisture for new plants. Remember, 12” of snow is only about 1” of water.
Helpful Watering Tips
- Be careful not to over water (too frequently); the root systems of plants need oxygen and oxygen cannot penetrate the soil when it is completely saturated. This is why long deep soakings each time you water are best. Note: Allow the soil around the plant to dry before you water again. This way you will ensure that the plant is getting both the water and oxygen that it needs.
- If your plant shows signs of stress after plating, don’t assume it is from lack of water. You should first try to assess what is causing the stress. It could be from lack of water or too much water. After you determine the cause, make the appropriate adjustments to your watering plan.
- Remember to focus your watering directly on the root mass of the plant, get the water where the roots are. This is why watering with a slow drip is best for any newly planted tree or shrub.
- Xeric plants (plants that are drought tolerant) will require normal watering from the time they are first planed until the plant has re-established its root system.
Basic care for newly transplanted trees and shrubs
After Planting:
Most plants go through some level of “transplant shock” during the planting process. Many of the plants that experience transplant shock will recover and be fine in just a few weeks. After planting, focus on watering properly and monitor your new plant for signs of stress. If you see wilted leaves or evergreens discoloring, try to assess what is causing the stress. If you can’t readily identify the cause of the stress, be patient, it is most likely suffering from transplant shock and should recover shortly. If you do have any questions or concerns, please give us a call.
Fall:
Add mulch around the base of trees to help retain moisture in the root zone during the fall and winter months. Wrap all young trees that have smooth bark with tree wrap from the base of the trunk up to the first set of branches. This will prevent sun scald which can impair the trees ability to transfer water and nutrients from the root system to the leaves. A good rule of thumb to follow is: Halloween On, and Easter Off.
Late winter/early spring:
This is the best time to prune most plants. While the plants are still dormant, they can be pruned without causing any unnecessary stress. The best time to fertilize an established plant is when the leaves just begin to emerge from the buds. This is the plants natural time to put on new growth and will benefit greatly from the nitrogen in the fertilizer. Only fertilize once in the spring, the new growth will stop towards the end of June or beginning of July and then the new growth will have time to harden off before winter.
Spring and summer months:
Monitor watering closely; making adjustments based on current weather conditions. Only prune broken or dead branches during the growing season.
General Care Tips
- The most critical time for a new plant is from the time that it is first planted until it is fully established. For trees it takes approximately one year, for every inch of the trunk caliper. (Example: a 2” tree should be fully established two years after it is planted.) Keeping your new plant healthy and stress free by close monitoring of the watering and the use of root stimulator during the growing season will allow a newly panted tree or shrub to use its energy on root development.
- Do not use fertilizer (nitrogen) on any plant until it is fully established. The nitrogen will tell the plant to grow, and it will. However, it is best to allow the plant to use its energy on re-establishing its root system to support its growth and overall health for years to come. After the plant is established, we fully recommend fertilizing your plants every spring to keep them strong and healthy.
- Stake larger newly planted tress until established to prevent the tree from shifting in heavy winds.
- Apply insecticides and fungicides at the first signs of problems to avoid unnecessary stress on the plant.