DIY Network

How to Select and Plant a Tree Properly DIY's "Gardening Made Easy" expert demonstrates the proper way to plant a tree. From "Home Made Easy" episode DHME-145

Guest Fran Sorin, Home Made Easy's gardening expert, explains what to think about before purchasing a tree, how to plant it properly and how to maintain the area.

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	Guest Fran Sorin, right, shares tips on buying, planting and taking care of trees.
	Just the right tree can be a stately, beautiful piece of art in your yard that grows along with your family.

A tree can last for hundreds of years, so when you decide to plant a new one there are some simple guidelines worth following. Fran Sorin has some tips for proper tree planting and care for a lifetime.

What to Consider Before Buying a Tree

There is a lot to consider. Think three things:

1. First, what is going to be the geographical location of the tree and how will the sun affect it? In other words, what is the sun/shade ratio. Will it have exposure to sun all day?

2. Second, consider the size of your tree and what is around it. Not only the size now, but how big the tree will be at maturity. Will it be hanging over your house and is there enough space for it to grow properly?

3. Lastly, what are you buying the tree for? To give you shade? To block out the neighbors? To replace an old tree? Is it for aesthetic reasons? Think about all of these factors and your gardening center can help you pick out the type of tree you want to buy. When you look at specimens make sure you choose trees that have a thick trunk at least 1" in diameter, avoid buying ones with a curved trunk, and have healthy leaves.

Planting a Tree

Materials:

1 approx. 4' deciduous tree
2 kneeling pads
shovel
spade
pruner
peat Moss or compost
fertilizer
mulch (Licorice Barb)
working hose
gardening gloves if needed

Digging the Hole Properly

Before you begin to plant you've got to dig a hole! Get a shovel and dig the depth of the shovel blade or a few inches deeper than the roots. The hole should be about 4x the diameter of the base of the trunk. You will be taking out the soil and you will be putting it back in. You should be setting aside the topsoil, subsoil, sod clumps and rocks. Some trees will come in a container, some balled, some in burlap and others as bare-roots with roots spread over a mound of soil. Try to get them in the latter condition.

When Should You Plant a Tree

Well, that is a point you can debate. Deciduous trees—or trees that have leaves that fall—think oak and maples are your best planting bet. You can really plant them anytime of year as long as it's not too hot or as long as the ground isn't frozen. Evergreens like pines and furs you have to plant them in the fall eight weeks before the frost.

Positioning Tree Correctly

Carefully pick up tree while holding the base of the trunk and place the tree in the center of the hole. Position it so it stands straight. It does help to have a helper but you can do it by yourself. The trunk of the tree should be just above the soil surface—where the trunk bark changes color and the roots begin. It's better to err on the side of planting too high. Fill in the gaps around the tree with soil and add organic matter like peat moss or compost. There is some controversy on that. Some people like to add fertilizer and some people like to add back the soil the way it is. Know your soil! Does it need more nutrients or not.

How to Put Back Soil Correctly

Next you have to tamp the soil in. After you put the soil back in you want to pat it down so there are no air holes and the water gets through to the tree more easily. Some people think the deeper the hole the better—not so! Your tree should sink into the hole, and the root line should be sticking out just a tad.

Proper Care to Make Sure Tree Stays Healthy and Grows

The next most important thing is to add mulch. It's beneficial for your tree for many reasons. It holds in moisture; it attracts earthworms that cultivate the soil; it prevent soil erosion; it keeps soil warm in winter and cool in summer; and it looks nice.

There are many kinds of mulch and Fran Sorin likes to use licorice barb mulch. Don't pile it against the tree. Leave a space around the roots and then mulch about 3-5 inches around the tree. The mulch should layer up about two to three inches high.

Correct Watering Procedure

Just take a regular hose when you first plant the tree and turn on the water so it's just dripping—a drip irrigating it's called—and place the hose by the roots and let the water sink in about 15-20 minutes. But there is no rule of thumb when it comes to daily watering. It depends on the climate you live in. Maybe you get a lot of rain where you live. But, when you get a new tree you want to give it an inch of water a week.

Extra Tree-Maintenance Advice

A few tips to keep in mind are watering your tree correctly, mulching, pruning or removing any branches low on the trunk of the tree—and insect/pest control. Then your tree can live a long long life.

RESOURCES :

Pruners
Smith and Hawken
Website: www.smith-hawken.com

Weeder and Spade
Fiskars
Website: www.fiskars.com

Extra Gardening Supplies
Website: www.lowes.com

GUESTS :

Fran Sorin
Author, Digging Deep: Unearthing Your Creative Roots Through Gardening
0446531669
April, 2004
Warner Books
Website: www.fransorin.com