Planting Trees and Shrubs

The advice used to be to dig a $100 hole for a $10 plant. Not anymore. Dig a hole just wide enough to spread out the plant roots and just deep enough to rest the roots on the bottom. If you dig the hole too deeply, the soil will settle and the plant could sink. The plant then might die of root rot as the roots would be buried too deeply. Loosen the sides of the hole with your shovel or digging fork so the sides of the hole won't become hard and impenetrable.

After the hole is dug, don't add any amendments to the soil. Simply, place the plant in the hole and spread out the roots. If the plant came root bound, gently loosen the roots and spread them out. You may have to use a knife, or dump the whole root ball into a pot of water to loosen the dirt and roots. Then, refill the hole with the same soil you dug out. You don't want the roots to become too comfortable in the hole. If you add amendments to the soil, the roots may not want to venture out of the original hole. You want the roots to spread out and go in search of nutrients. Finally, before you tamp down the dirt, make sure the bush or tree is straight. Trust me, you plant one crooked tree and no one will ever let you forget it.

Put compost, about 1" deep, on the ground around the plant and out past where the roots ended. The compost will add nutrients slowly to the soil so your plant can use them as needed. Inorganic fertilizers can lead to excessive growth. The last thing you need is a fall plant that starts putting out fresh, delicate new growth. The new growth makes the plant much more susceptible to damage when the cold weather arrives. Mulch over the compost with no more than 2" of mulch to protect the plant. Too much mulch will prevent water and air from reaching your plant. Don't let the mulch touch the trunk of the tree - it can damage the bark and lead to disease. Finally, water well.

The other planting method is to not dig a hole, but make a raised bed around the roots of your new plant. I haven't done this with trees, and I don't

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