Tree planting is an investment for a lifetime. To ensure a good investment, you have to consider the type of tree, the location, and the care while planting, as well as any necessary follow-up care. When you get your tree off to a healthy start you can ensure that it will provide the benefits you are looking for. This is hard work so you may want to employ tree planting services.
What’s The Cost for Tree Planting Services?
Planting a single tree can cost anywhere between $150 and $300. To get a free estimate you can get in touch with us, so we can provide you with a specific cost for your exact tree planting needs. Planting trees on your property can really be worthwhile, whether you are planting on a residential or commercial property.
Preparing for Planting
If you decide on planting trees yourself, there are a couple of things you should do. First, you want to ensure there are no underground utilities. Once you are certain you are clear for digging, you can start preparing the ground. This is an essential step to ensure healthy plant growth.
You may be planting multiple plants, so you need to rototill your soil to a depth of between 12 and 15 inches. For planting single trees or shrubs you want to dig a hole that is two to three times bigger than the root ball.
If you are planting trees close to a house, the best trees to plant are:
- Crabapple – This short, flowering tree grows well in zones 3 to 8 and grows to approximately 20 feet tall.
- American Hornbeam – This tree is a member of the birch family and grows well in zones 3 to 9. It is a slow-growing tree and tends to stay small in size.
You can either plant trees from saplings or fully grown trees. Those full-grown planted trees may be harder hit by the new location. The best way to go about planting grown trees is to ensure that you get as much of their roots as you can when transplanting them in a new location.
When to Do Your Planting
The most ideal time for trees to be planted is during their dormant season. This for most trees is between fall and early spring. The weather conditions during this time are cool and plants are better able to establish their roots in their new environment. It is essential for roots to be established before the spring rains and the heat of the summer.
If you are planting a burlapped or balled container tree that is healthy, you can plant at any time during the growing season as long as you give it the proper care. If you live in a tropical or subtropical climate you can plant trees any time of year as long as you have water.
The Stress of Planting
Transplanting and replanting can be stressful Burlapped and balled trees lose a remarkable portion of their root system when they are dug out of the nursery. Trees will have what is called “transplant shock”. This slows down the growth and reduces the transplanting vitality.
If you purchase trees in containers, they can also experience transplant shock. This is especially true if your trees have kinked roots. You will need to cut these once removed from the container.
It is essential to properly prepare your site for planting. This will deter further damage and with the proper follow-up care, you can even reduce the effects of transplant shock. Here is how you can go about planting your tree or trees.
- Research if there are any utility pipes and lines running underground before you start digging.
- Identify the spot where the trunk expands from the tree base, this is called the trunk flare. You want this part of the tree to be partially visible after it is planted.
- Dig your hole in a broad and shallow manner. You want the hole to be two to three times wider than the root ball and as deep as the root ball. If you plant it too deeply, the new roots will find it hard to develop as they will be lacking oxygen.
- Cut away wire baskets or remove containers, inspecting root balls for circling roots. If you need to, straighten them, cut them, or remove them.
- Straighten the tree in the hole. Get someone to help you determine if it is straight. And have them look at it from different angles to ensure it is straight all around. After you confirm this, you can go ahead and backfill the hole.
- When filling the hole, be gentle but firm. You want to first pack the soil around the root ball base so you can stabilize it. Fill in the rest of the hole, packing in the soil to ensure air pockets are eliminated. You don’t want any air pockets as these will cause the roots to dry out. You can add water periodically while you are backfilling to help reduce air pockets as well.
- If your tree looks like it needs staking, stake it.
- Add mulch around the base, this will hold moisture in the soil and also reduce the chances of weed and grass growing around your tree.
- After planting, ensure the soil is moist but not water-logged. Water the trees once weekly if there is no rain. If it is hot and windy you may want to water a bit more frequently.
Where to Plant your Trees
With the right planning, you can ensure you place your trees in the right place. Proper tree selection is important and so is proper placement. With the correct placement, you can enhance your property’s aesthetics and even its value. If you have any questions about placement, please contact us at Evergreen Tree Service today. We are certified professionals with knowledge of a variety of tree species.
Mulching Your Trees
Mulching is very beneficial to your newly planted tree. It keeps moisture in and helps to improve the soil conditions for a healthier tree. Be sure you are using the proper mulching practices and materials or you can have a negative impact on your trees as well as on your landscape as a whole.
Overhead Utility Lines
pYou would think that overhead utility lines are obvious, but they are overlooked so often in tree planting. If you are planting trees that grow very tall you will need to prune these regularly. If you do not do this, most utility companies will prune them for you to ensure they are at a safe distance from their lines. The trouble is that the pruning done by the utility company may not be the most aesthetically pleasing or the best for your plant’s health. Keep yourself, your family, and your customers safe by employing professional tree care experts. Trees with the potential to touch overhead utility lines present public safety hazards and can increase expenses for those who own the property.
Underground Utility Lines
The root area of trees can often take up a lot of space underground than the tree takes up above the ground. Nowadays there are many service providers that run wires underground. Tree roots can be a problem to utilities that have been run underground. If these lines are ever dug up for repair, your tree may suffer.
Before planting any trees you want to be aware of the location of any utilities that may be underground. You don’t want to dig into lines and cause service disruption. Never assume, instead, do the necessary research to find out if there are lines, how deep they are run, and which direction they are running.
What You Should Know Before Planting a Tree
Here is a checklist you can follow that will help ensure your tree planting activities are an investment that works out. We want you to think of everything before you begin to dig up your premises. Cast the perfect afternoon shade, attract wildlife, or add dimension and color to your property with the use of trees.
Space
How much space do you have to plant trees? Your saplings may look small now, but they are going to grow. You should know how tall your trees will grow based on what species you purchased. You want to ensure that you have space for the branches to stretch outward once the tree starts to grow. Remember that every tree has its own set of spacing requirements, so you should research your tree to see how much space it needs if you haven’t already done so.
Utilities
Consider your utilities, whether they are above ground or underground, you need to be aware of their positions before you start your tree planting. You should always call your local utility companies before you start digging even when your utilities are above ground. You don’t want your project to disrupt service in your entire neighborhood, which could be the case if you have underground utilities, and then disturb these.
Tree Care
Trees require care especially when they are just planted. You may need to water your trees daily for the first 1 or 2 weeks depending on the species. So don’t just research plant care for a specific tree but instead research care for the tree when just planted.
Care is important in ensuring that these plants develop strong roots. This is how they will grow into strong and healthy trees that add visual appeal and value to your property.
Picking Out Your Tree
Make a list of what is important to you. What do you want from your tree? Do you want a tree that has berries so that you will always have birds around? Do you want a tree that is very hardy and resistant to disease? Do you want a flowering tree for spring flowers, or do you want to have gorgeous fall foliage? Do you want an evergreen? These are some of the questions you need to ask yourself when picking your tree. You also want to ensure that you are looking for trees that grow best in your environment.
Annual Maintenance
Some trees will require more maintenance than others. For example, if you choose to plant a weeping willow you will have to trim it annually so it stays off the ground. If you choose to plant cottonwood trees they will release seeds that are filled with white fluff. So you have to be prepared for that. Again, research your trees before you choose which ones you will be planting.
When to Plant
Autumn and Spring are often the best times to plant trees, but it really depends on where you live. The general rule is that you want your trees to be well-established before the summer heat comes around or before the ground freezes over in the winter. Again, here you need to research to see what is the best time to plant the specific tree that will fill your needs.
Growing Time
How long does your tree take to grow? This is another important consideration as all trees grow at different rates. If you want a tree that will fill out quickly, look for the options that work best for your area, climate, and soil. If that all seems to be too much to think about and you need help, you can always reach out to us for our tree planting services. Check out our service areas and give us a call when you are ready. We’d be happy to take the entire task off your hands to give you the right trees for your space!
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