Plant A Tree
...der the trees ultimate size. When the tree is fully grown, will it be too near to your house or other structure? Also, be considerate of your neighbors. A big tree may block the sun from reaching them. Also, will it provide too much shade for your garden? Most flowers and vegetables require considerable amounts of sun. Most of this is common sense, will is obstruct driveways or sidewalks? Will it cause problems for buried or overhead utilities? After carefully choosing the correct tree and placement of it, you are almost ready to plant. Trees can be planted at almost any time of the year, as long as the ground is not frozen. Late summer or early fall is the prime time. This will give the tree a chance to establish new roots before winter arrives. Before planting you will need the following items: a shovel, water, a bag of mulch, wire, two wooden stakes, and a bag of soil. Most of which can be obtained at your local hardware store. Also, before digging, call your local utilities to find out if there is going to be any interference with underground cables. Carefully follow the specific planting instructions that come with your tree. If instructions are not included, follow these tips. Now that you are ready to start planting, dig a hole twice as, and slightly shallower than, the “root ball”. Roughen the sides and bottom of the hole with your shovel so that the roots can penetrate easily into the soil. With your potted tree, carefully remove the tree form the container. Lay the tree down on its side with the roots nearest the planting hole. Hit the bottom and sides of the root ball until the roots are loosened. Shorten the longer roots, and then guide the shortened roots downward. Root tips quickly die when exposed to light and air, so make haste. Next, place the root ball in the hole. Leave the top of the root ball (where the roots end and the trunk begins) one-half to one inch above the surrounding soil, making sure not to cover it unless roots are exposed. Do not set trees in too deep. As you add soil to fill around the tree, lightly tap the soil to collapse air pockets or add water to help in settling the soil. Soon after, form a temporary water basin around the base to encourage growth. A tree cannot grow without water, so if the root ball is extremely dry, allow water to seep into the soil by placing your hose at the trunk of the tree. Afterwards, place mulch around the base. A three-foot diameter circle is often common. Depending on the size of a tree and the weather conditions, “staking” (the process of placing stakes on either side of the sapling with wire connecting to the tree for stronger growth) may be beneficial. Staking supports the tree until the roots are well established to properly anchor it. Take the stakes and pound them into the ground on two...