Planting New Trees
Thinking about planting a new tree or landscape? To properly plant trees, you should
understand the characteristics of the planting sites (above and below ground growing
space, soils, drainage, exposure, and light levels); the tolerances and growth characteristics
of different tree species, and the benefits you want to receive from the trees.
If planted properly, your tree will be a lifetime investment that increases in value
and provides numerous benefits throughout the coming years. If improperly planted,
as many are these days, time and money is wasted as the tree’s health declines and
it fails to get established and grow.
Before planting a new tree, do some homework and research your site’s conditions
and limitations before selecting a species to plant. Once the site analysis is completed,
you can select a species of tree that will thrive on that site and meet your design
criteria and function for the landscape. Next you will need to find and obtain quality
trees, and prepare the site for planting.
Now you are ready to plant your new tree. It might seem as easy as digging a hole
and burying the roots, but there really is a lot more to it, especially if you want
your tree to survive. Below are some excellent websites and downloadable publications
that you should review before selecting and planting a new tree.
Penn State University Publications
"Planting and Aftercare of Community Trees"
http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/freepubs/pdfs/uh143.pdf
"Planting Ornamentals"
http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/freepubs/pdfs/uj253.pdf
"Planting Trees in Your Community" - Youth Publication
http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/pdfs/uh125.pdf
Visit the Penn State Consumer Horticulture Website to search for more planting information
and other helpful tips.
http://consumerhorticulture.psu.edu/
Cornell University’s Urban Horticulture Institute - Learn more about Structural
Soils, Site Assessment, Plant Selection and planting techniques (including Bare
Root Planting Method)
http://www.hort.cornell.edu/department/faculty/bassuk/uhi/
National Arbor Day Foundation Tree Planting Video clips
http://www.arborday.org/trees/video/howtoplant.cfm
National Arbor Day Foundation Tree Guide
http://www.arborday.org/trees/treeguide/
Planting Trees in Designed and Built Community Landscapes: Checklists for Success
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/uf/plant_trees/planting_trees.htm
New Tree Planting - a good homeowner primer from ISA
http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/tree_planting.aspx
Transplanting Landscape Trees – TLC for Trees
http://www.tlcfortrees.info/transplanting_landscape_trees.htm
“Avoiding Excess Soil on the Root Systems of Trees, a Best Management Practice” – Morton Arboretum
http://www.mortonarb.org/res/RESEARCH_watson_AvoidingExcessive.pdf
“Girdling Root Formation in Landscape Trees” – article by Gary Watson, Morton Arboretum
http://www.mortonarb.org/res/RESEARCH_watson_girdlingRootFormation.pdf
Other root and tree Research by Gary Watson at the Morton Arboretum
http://www.mortonarb.org/main.taf?p=5,6,4
A Practitioners Guide to Stem Girdling Roots - Impacts on Trees, Symptomology, and Prevention”
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/naturalresources//DD7501.html
Getting the Roots Right – Article by Gary Watson, Morton Arboretum
http://www.mortonarb.org/res/RESEARCH_watson_GettingRootsRight.pdf