It’s not too late to plant some varieties of shade trees before winter sets in. These next few weeks of October are an ideal time to plant new trees.
Shade trees can reduce heating and cooling costs, improve the air we breathe, add beauty and color to backyards, add value to the property, provide shelter from the wind and sun, and make our communities a better place to live.
A properly planted and maintained tree will grow faster and live longer than one that is incorrectly planted.
“Properly planted and maintained trees will have a better opportunity for a long, healthy life,” said Iowa DNR district forester Mark Vitosh. “Improperly planted and maintained trees can become stressed more easily or may look otherwise healthy, but then suddenly die in the first 10 to 20 years after planting. One of the key tree planting mistakes is planting the tree at the improper depth. ”
“The work does not stop after planting,” explains Vitosh. “Proper tree health monitoring and long term maintenance like watering, mulching, and structural pruning helps promote quality trees long-term.”
Follow these simple tips to properly plant and maintain a healthy tree:
- Select a species that matches your site’s growing conditions (i.e. soil type, soil drainage, available growing space, full sun or shade, etc.).
- Select a species that meets your goals (i.e. shade, screening, wildlife habitat, fall color, etc.).
- Make sure you match the ultimate size of the tree with the available growing space to avoid conflicts with structures, power lines, driveways and sidewalks, and stop signs. Good planning can avoid future conflicts.
- Always call Iowa One Call-811 before you start digging to locate any underground utilities.
- Remove top soil from the original root ball until you can see the first lateral root. This first main root should be just below soil grade when planting.
- Examine the root system and prune any circling roots.
- Measure the distance just above the first lateral root to the bottom of the root ball; that is the depth that you should dig the planting hole. Proper planting depth is key to long-term tree survival. If the hole is dug too deep the tree can settle over time which can cause long-term health issues.
- Dig the hole at least twice as wide as the root ball, to loosen the soil and promote good lateral root growth.
- Once the tree is planted, slowly water the planting hole (focus water in the location of the root ball) to settle the soil. As the tree grows, water the expanding root system further away from the initial root ball.
- If you have planted new trees within the last 3 years consider some supplemental watering during weeks we do not receive one inch of rainfall.
Find more tips on how to properly plant a tree, select diverse trees and proper tree care after planting on the DNR webpage at www.iowadnr.gov/planttrees.