{"id":9264,"date":"2019-11-01T07:08:09","date_gmt":"2019-10-31T21:08:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gardens.theownerbuildernetwork.co\/?p=9264"},"modified":"2025-10-30T21:19:40","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T11:19:40","slug":"a-beginners-guide-to-planting-a-tree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/2019\/11\/01\/a-beginners-guide-to-planting-a-tree\/","title":{"rendered":"A Beginner’s Guide to Planting a Tree"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Trees
Trees are a wonderful feature in any garden. (Photo: Debisbin\/Flickr)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fall is an excellent time for planting trees. Many nurseries dig bare-root plants in the fall, sell some, and store the remainder through winter. The young plants are fresher in the fall, so you’ll get a wider, more robust selection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If you’ve never planted a tree, but want to grow one in your garden or yard, here are the steps you need to take.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The First Step: Find the Right Location for Your Tree!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Pay attention to the tree\u2019s need for sunlight and soil drainage. In this case, no amount of care can remedy a serious mismatch. Moving a tree requires muscle, patience, and time, and even then you are never assured of success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check the soil. If it is ready for digging, it will be moist\nenough to crumble. If the soil is not ready, wait for it to dry or water it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"If
If it is ready for digging, the soil will be moist enough to crumble. If the soil is not ready, wait for it to dry or water it. (Photo: Haanala 76\/Public Domain Pictures)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Step 2: Dig that Hole<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You should dig a hole wide and deep enough to allow you to\nspread out the roots without bending, breaking, or crowding them. The hole\nshould be twice the width and depth of your tree’s root system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a 2-year-old bare-root tree, dig a hole about two feet\nwide and deep. This should be enough to accommodate the tree\u2019s root system while\nallowing room to grow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be sure to reserve some topsoil. You’ll need it for the next step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"You
You should dig a hole wide and deep enough to allow you to spread out the roots without bending, breaking, or crowding them. (Photo: Senior Airman Omari Bernard\/USAF)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 Step 3: Prepare the Soil<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Put some of the reserved topsoil into the bottom of the hole where it will do the most good. Form the topsoil into a mound. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some gardeners will amend the soil with all-natural coconut fiber, which helps air circulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Some
Some gardeners will amend the soil with all-natural coconut fiber. The material promotes air circulation. (Photo: Fotokannan\/Wikimedia Commons)<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Step 4: Place the Tree<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Carefully place the tree into the hole. Try to drape the roots over the mound of topsoil you prepared in Step 3 to encourage outward growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Straighten the tree in the hole. Before backfilling, have\nsomeone view the tree from several directions to confirm it is straight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Straighten
Straighten the tree in the hole. Before backfilling, have someone view the tree from several directions to confirm it is straight. (U.S. Air Force photo\/Airman 1st Class Jamal D. Sutter)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Step 5: Backfill the Hole<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Fill the hole gently, but firmly. Pack soil around the base\nof the root ball to stabilize it. Fill the remainder of the hole, firmly\npacking the soil to eliminate air pockets that may dry out roots. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can further reduce air pockets by watering periodically while backfilling. You should avoid fertilization at the time of planting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"When
Firmly pack the soil to eliminate air pockets that may dry out roots. (Photo: Goumbik\/Pixabay) <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Step 6: Stake Your Tree<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Stake your tree for support. Drive the stake through the\nroot ball into the ground underneath. Stake the tree loosely until the roots are\nestablished.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do not over-tighten the system. Larger trees may need one or\ntwo more stakes placed a few feet from the trunk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Larger
Larger trees may need one or two more stakes placed a few feet from the trunk. (Photo: Chris Alberti\/Flickr)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Step 7: Water and Maintain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Slowly soak the ground beneath the tree. Figure on 1 gallon\nper week per square foot spread of the roots. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Water your new tree right at the root ball every few days\nfor the first several weeks during the growing season. The soil around the root\nball should remain moist though not saturated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You should water throughout the growing season and longer\nfor larger trees. Remember to keep the area around your tree free of weeds!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Water
Water your new tree right at the root ball every few days for the first several weeks during the growing season. (Photo: Victor Islas\/Pixabay) <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Magic of Trees<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There is something magical about trees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trees are our lifeline to cleaner air and a healthier\nenvironment. They provide shade, protect us from the wind, and clean the air by\ntrapping dust, pollen, and other pollutants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are a wonderful addition to any garden!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"There
There is something magical about trees. (Photo: Felix Mittermeier\/Pexels)<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Are you ready to plant a tree? <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Trees are our lifeline to cleaner air and a healthier environment. They provide shade, protect us from the wind, and clean the air by trapping dust, pollen, and other pollutants. We’ll show you how to plant one in your garden. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13557,"featured_media":9514,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"Learn how to plant a tree in your garden today. Simple step-by-step guide for beginners to grow healthier air and shade for years to come.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_seopress_news_disabled":"","_seopress_video_disabled":"","_seopress_video":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas_manual":[],"_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable_all":"","_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas":[],"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sma_last_campaign_date":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8,182],"tags":[91,192,191],"class_list":["post-9264","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-colourful-gardens","category-tips-and-tricks","tag-fruit-trees","tag-tree-planting","tag-trees"],"modified_by":"Freddie","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9264","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13557"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9264"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9264\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9514"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9264"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9264"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theownerbuildernetwork.co\/gardens\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9264"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}