How to Properly Plant a Tree for Maximum Health

Proper planting is the first critical step toward ensuring that your tree lives a long, healthy life. If you do not plant the tree properly, it will result in ongoing health issues and could lead to premature death.

Proper planting can be reduced to three goals:

Goal 1: Choose the right species for the given location. Evaluate available sunlight, soil moisture, soil pH, and available growing room for the roots and canopy. Then choose a species that will thrive with the given conditions and will fit within the available growing space at maturity.

Goal 2: Provide space where new roots can easily grow and thrive. Make sure you dig a hole that is at least 1.5 times the width of the rootball, though 2-3 times would be better. When you backfill the soil, do not compress it. Make sure it is loose and free of large clumps so new roots can easily grow.

Goal 3: Avoid burying the root collar. This is the most important goal. The root collar is located at the bottom of the tree, where the trunk flares out before disappearing underground. When the tree has been planted, the root collar must be level with - or slightly above - the surrounding ground. Make sure there is no dirt, mulch, or debris on the root collar.

To learn more about how to properly plant a tree, please read our article “Happy Trees Begin With Proper Planting” at: leaflimb.com/happy-trees-begin-with-proper-plan…

Or you can visit our tree and shrub planting service page at: leaflimb.com/tree-shrub-bush-planting/

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