How to Plant a Tree in Your Yard

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How to Plant a Tree in Your Yard

Credit: Moondom

This tree is planted in the front yard and goes well with the modern architecture and surrounding landscape.

If you are thinking of planting a tree in your yard there a few things you need to consider before digging the hole. Here are the steps to help you plant a tree successfully in your yard.

Choose the tree: Do a little research on the type of tree you'd like to plant. Do you want a tree for shade, privacy, pretty blossoms or for Autumn colors? Some other considerations are: How tall will the tree get? You may not want to plant an oak tree on a small sized lot. Will the tree's roots affect your homes foundation or sewer pipes? Does the tree produce unwanted sap, or other leaves or fruit that may be a nuisance and extra labor to clean up every year or daily?

Choose the spot: Make sure that the spot you want to plant your tree is free of underground pipes and cables, such as from cable TV or other electrical cables. Also, consider whether the final height of the tree will interfere with overhead wires.

Buy the tree: Once you have chosen a tree that satisfies your criteria then it's time to buy the tree at your local nursery. Trees come in a variety of ways. Potted, bare-root, and balled-and-burlapped. The choice makes little difference when it comes to planting.

Plant the tree - you will need:
1 stake (pencil, or any ol' stick will do)
2 cups white baking flour
3 ft. of string
scissors
shovel
fertilizer
water

Steps:
1) Measure the depth of either the container, ball-and-burlapped root ball, or bare root. This measurement will give you the depth of the hole. The width should be twice the width of either the container, ball-and-burlapped root ball or bare root.

2) Place a stake in the ground where you want your tree to be planted. Next, take some string (3 ft. long) and tie it to the stake. Stretch the string out to where you want the circumference to begin and pour a little flour while keeping the string taught and encircling the stake to mark your circle. This will mark the circumference of the hole.

3) Dig a hole by removing soil to the depth you need. Scrape and rough up the sides of the hole so the roots will not grow in circles.

4) Sprinkle a good tree fertilizer in the hole to ensure root growth or you may use tree starter spikes.

5) For potted trees, slide the plant out of the container and loosen the bottom of sod to free up roots and place in center of hole. For ball-and-burlapped, leave burlap on and place into hole, cut off rope or twine and remove burlap from top and sides of tree. Cut excess burlap and throw out, remaining burlap can stay in hole. For bare root, create a small dirt mound in center of hole to support roots, place bare root in center of hole.

6) Back fill hole with the same soil you removed, packing soil as you go, be sure tree is flush or slightly higher level (1") than existing ground.

7) Water tree generously.

Afterwards, water weekly. You may need to stake the tree for bracing if you are in a windy area.

By the way, Autumn is a great time of year to plant a tree. The hottest days are gone and the ground has not frozen yet. Good luck and enjoy your new tree!