There is an old saying that the best time to plant a new tree was twenty years ago, and the second-best time to plant a new tree is today. Spring is a great time to plant trees. The plant nurseries have new trees for the season, the soil is warm enough and the air not too hot, and the trees are starting to wake up. Planting a tree properly is not hard, but unfortunately planting it poorly is even easier. Here are some basic guidelines to follow.
Younger, small trees will get established easier and quicker. Older, larger trees often come with hidden root defects. Look carefully at the root crown (a.k.a. root collar), where the trunk transitions to the roots – avoid trees with roots wrapping around the trunk or root ball, as those can strangle the tree in time (see photo below).
Dig a hole that is wider than the root mass but only as deep as the root mass. Put the same soil that came out of the hole back into the hole. in most cases without any amendments. If the soil is very sandy or really compacted, blend in a small amount of good compost.
Water the newly planted tree thoroughly at planting, and again when the soil feels barely moist. If staking is needed (usually it isn’t), do it so the trunk can still move some and there are no hard cords directly around the trunk. Or, call Legacy Tree and let us do it!
Contact us to find out more about our Albuquerque tree removal services.
