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Whether you are planting a tree to provide shade, erosion control, fruit, or a branch for a swing; here are the steps to make your planting successful.

Steps for planting a tree:

1) Choose your tree. Your local nursery can suggest several types of trees, appropriate for your specific needs, your soil type, and your specific area of the country.

2) Prepare to dig. It’s always a good idea to sharpen your spade or shovel to make digging easier. Also, remember to contact your local utility/cable/etc. companies to mark any buried lines in your yard.

3) Dig your hole. Although digging a hole seems simple, here are a few things to remember:

- Dig your hole 3-4 times wider than the rootball of the tree.
- Put your backfill in a wheelbarrow. This will make refilling the hole easier.
- Do not dig your hole deeper than the rootball- the top of the ball should be at ground-level.
- Rough-up the sides of your hole. Smooth sides may cause roots to circle in the hole.
- Do not add peatmoss or rocks to the planting hole.

4) Place tree in the hole. If the tree is balled and burlapped, you may place the tree directly in the hole. If the tree is in a polypropylene “grow-bag,” remove the grow-bag before planting. Failure to remove the grow-bag may harm the tree’s root system as it grows. For container plants, simply remove the tree from the container.

5) Free some outer roots. Using a hard jet of water, blast away some of the outer soil around the roots. This will assist the roots in establishing into the outer soil.

6) If needed, mix some organic matter into the backfill.

7) Partially fill the hole, and water. Watering as you fill the hole will eliminate air pockets around the rootball.

8) Fill in the hole and build a levy around the base of the tree. The levy will aid in water retention during the crucial root-development stage.

9) Next, stake the tree. Three stakes should be driven around the base of the tree, into solid ground. The stakes should point towards the trunk of the tree. Using wire, attach the stakes to the tree. Old pieces of garden hose can be used to pad the bark from the wire. The wire can be made taut by driving the stakes farther into the ground.

10) Apply mulch around the base of the tree.

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