for trees and shrubs.

Many home owners will plant trees and shrubs this spring to improve the appearance of their property and for their personal enjoyment. It is pleasurable but also time-consuming to go to your favorite nursery or garden center to make your selections, take the plants home and then get them planted. Then consider the cost of the plants, soil amendments and the time that will be spent watering and taking care of any new additions. All this effort can be wasted if some very basic planting techniques are not followed and the plants are not properly maintained in the following months. Secure your investment by following the basics of planting.

A popular saying which holds much truth is “Prepare a $100 dollar hole when you are planting“. It points out the importance of the planting preparation. First, the plant should be planted in an area where the soil is well-drained. Test the drainage by digging a small hole 8” deep and filling it with water to see how fast it is absorbed into the ground. This water should be absorbed within a couple of hours and certainly not longer than 12 hours. If this doesn’t occur, there could be a problem having plants grow well or even survive in this area.

Next, when digging the hole, be sure it is 18” wider than the size of the root ball - 9” on each side. That’s right, the hole needs to be much wider than the root mass, and the hole should never “fit” the root ball like a glove. Never dig the hole deeper than the root ball or loosen the soil under the plant. You do not want to risk the plant settling after it is planted.

Once the hole is prepared, it is time to double check for proper depth by placing the plant in the hole. The top of the plant root ball should be about an inch above the edge of the hole. Remove any pot from the plant. Remove burlap from around the top of the root ball once it is in the hole. [Be sure that the root ball of any container plant is well watered before planting.] Once you have all the “hole” items double checked, it is time to combine one-third of the best soil removed from the hole with a form of organic matter like Canadian sphagnum peat moss, your own compost, Sweet Peet® or Grower’s Choice pine fines. Any of these materials will improve your soil allowing the roots of the new plant to spread easily into the surrounding soil. It will also keep the back fill from becoming compacted. Espoma’s Bio Tone® Starter Plus should be incorporated with the back fill. Use any extra soil to make a saucer around the planting hole to retain water when watering the plant in the future.

Now that the plant is “planted,” it is time to water adequately so the root ball and all the backfill are completely hydrated. Water slowly until the hole is totally filled with water. The next watering time will be determined by the weather, but normally at least once a week for the next couple of months is adequate.

*for more planting info, see Meadow View’s Tree and Shrub Planting Guide.