It sounds silly, but planting trees isn’t as simple as just planting trees! When adding trees to your property, you should take great care to avoid these five common mistakes.
Placing Them Improperly
You should always research the trees you are going to plant before you consider planting them. How big will the tree grow? How tall will it get? How much shade will it provide to things below it? Will it thrive the best underneath other trees or in a place of its own? Placement is everything when it comes to planting trees, so do your research.
Not Enough Space
When planting a tree, you should dig a hole that is at least 2-3 times the width of your tree’s root ball. The roots of your new tree need a lot of space to spread out and grow as the tree ages. It’s not uncommon for root systems to be at least 2-3 times bigger than the canopy of the tree, so don’t be afraid to dig a big, deep hole!
Going Too Far Down
While it’s important to have a wide hole, it’s not as important to have a deep hole. If you plant the root ball of the tree in the ground too deeply, it can actually suffocate and not absorb the nutrients, water, and sunlight that it needs. The root flare that rests at the bottom of the tree trunk should sit above ground level.
Underwatering
While most people think of watering flowers, they don’t often think about watering trees. New trees do need to be watered regularly for the first 1-2 years that they are in the ground. You should set a regular watering schedule to ensure that they are getting the attention they need.
Ignoring Problematic Roots
Does the tree have potbound roots? These occur when a tree has spent too long growing in a specific container, so they will create a spiral shape. Before you place potbound roots in the ground, you should loosen them so that they won’t circle around the trunk.
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