[Jim:] Hi, I’m Jim Zwack from the Davey Institute, North America’s Premiere Tree Research Laboratory. And today we’re talking trees. Fall is one of our favorite times of the year to plant a tree. It can be a lot of fun to pick out the perfect tree and planted in the perfect spot. Too often, though, we simply plant a tree and walk away.
To talk with us about caring for your newly planted tree, I’m joined by Chelsea Abbott, Davey scientist and technical adviser.
So Chelsi, where do we start? [Chelsi:] So newly planted trees are under a lot of stress due to their new environment, so they’re going to need a little extra love and care. There are a few very important things that you can do to set your new tree up for success. The first is watering.
Proper watering is essential to bringing moisture and oxygen to your tree’s roots. The best watering strategy is to adjust to the weather rather than following a strict calendar. During the first two weeks, it is recommended to water young trees as needed, which can be determined by pushing your finger into the soil about four to six inches. Water if dry but not if wet. Then water a new tree once a week for the first year, while it still has leaves.
Be sure to take rainfall into account before watering, and of course, during hot, dry periods, water more frequently. Mulch is another important consideration. A good organic mulch helps young trees retain moisture, control soil temperature and ward off weeds. Apply two to three inches of mulch around the trees drip zone, which is as far as the trees leaves grow out. Use a rake to pull mulch one to two inches from the tree trunk to provide proper air circulation.
A common mistake that can have disastrous consequences is piling too much mulch against the trunk of the tree, often called volcano mulching. This creates a cool, damp environment which can attract fungi, pests and disease and ultimately create stress for your new tree. Next, let’s talk pruning. While it’s important to trim away minor branch defects at the time of planting, you should hold off on pruning young trees for the first year. After that, it’s important to begin structural pruning to ensure your new tree grows correctly.
This involves selecting a central or leading limb that is free of damage, wounds or defects. Next, identify competing stems, which are larger limbs that could compete with the leading limb and shorten or remove them to encourage the tree to develop the proper structure. One important note: no more than 20% of the canopy One important note: no more than 20% of the canopy should be removed annually when pruning a young tree. Finally, we are often asked whether you should fertilize a young tree. That all depends on the fertilizer you’re using.
We use a fertilizer designed to slowly release nutrients That allows us to address any nutrient deficiency without worrying about stressing the young tree by forcing rapid growth. [Jim:] Thanks, Chelsea. Spending a little time and energy If you need specific advice about caring for your newly planted tree, contact your local professional arborist. As always, thanks for talking trees..
Read More: How to Care for Mature Trees