Tree Planting 

Trees add beauty and so

much more.

In your backyard

Trees in your backyard can be home

to many different types of wildlife.

Trees can also reduce your heating

and cooling costs, help clean the air,

add beauty and color, provide shelter

from the wind and the sun, and add

value to your home.

Choosing a tree

Choosing a tree should be a well

thought-out decision.Tree planting

can be a significant investment in

money and time. Proper selection

can provide you with years of enjoyment as well as significantly increase

the value of your property.An inappropriate tree for your property can

be a constant maintenance problem

or even a hazard. Before you buy,

take advantage of the abundant references on gardening at local libraries,

universities, arboretums, parks where

trees are identified, native plant and

gardening clubs, and nurseries. Some

questions to consider in selecting a

tree include:

1.What purpose will this tree serve?

Trees can serve numerous landscape

functions including beautification,

screening of sights and sounds,

shade and energy conservation, and

wildlife habitat.

is a cooperative project of:

USDA Natural Resources

Conservation Service

National Association of

Conservation Districts

Wildlife Habitat Council

April 1998

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One in a series of 10 tip sheets on backyard conservation

Backyard

Conservation

Select trees for your backyard that will

add beauty and help you achieve the

diversity you want.
2. Is the species appropriate for your

area? Reliable nurseries will not sell

plant material that is not suitable for

your area. However, some mass marketers have trees and shrubs that are

not winter hardy in the area sold.

Even if a tree is hardy, it may not

flower consistently from year to year

at the limits of its useful range due

to late spring freezes. If you are buying a tree for the spring flowers and

fall fruits, this may be a consideration. In warmer climates, there may

not be a long enough period of cool

temperatures for some species, such

as apples, to develop flowers.Apples

and other species undergo vernalization--a period of near-freezing temperatures that cause changes in the

plant, resulting in the production of

flowers.

Be aware of microclimates.

Microclimates are very localized

areas where weather conditions may

vary from the norm.A very sheltered

yard may support vegetation not normally adapted to the region. On the

other hand, a north-facing slope may

be significantly cooler or windier

than surrounding areas and survival

of normally adapted plants may be

limited.

Select trees native to your area.They

will be more tolerant of local weather and soil conditions, enhance natural biodiversity in your neighborhood, and be more beneficial to

wildlife than many non-native trees.

Avoid exotic trees that can invade

other areas, crowd out native plants,

and harm natural ecosystems.

3. How big will it get? When planting

a small tree, it is often difficult to

imagine that in 20 years it could be

shading your entire yard.

Unfortunately, many trees are planted

and later removed when the tree

grows beyond the dimensions of the

property.

4.What is the average life expectancy of the tree? Some trees can live

for hundreds of years. Others are

considered “short-lived” and may live

for only 20 or 30 years. Many shortlived trees tend to be smaller ornamental species. Short-lived species

should not necessarily be ruled out

when considering plantings.They

may have other desirable characteristics, such as size, shape, tolerance of

shade, or fruit, that would be useful

in the landscape.These species may

also fill a void in a young landscape,

and can be removed as other larger,

longer-lived species mature.

5. Does it have any particular ornamental value such as leaf color or

flowers and fruits? Some species provide beautiful displays of color for

short periods in the spring or fall.

Other species may have foliage that

is reddish or variegated and can add

color in your landscaping year

round.

Trees bearing fruits or nuts can provide an excellent source of food for

many species of wildlife. However,

some people consider some fruit and

nut bearing trees to be "dirty." 

6. Does it have any particular insect,

disease, or other problem that may

reduce its usefulness? Certain insects

and diseases can be serious problems on some desirable species in

some regions. Depending on the

pest, control of the problem may be

difficult and the pest may significantly reduce the attractiveness, if not

the life expectancy, of the plant.

Other species such as the silver

maple (Acer saccharium) are known

to have weak wood that is susceptible to damage in ice storms or heavy

winds.

7. How common is this species in

your neighborhood or town? Some

species are over-planted. Increasing

the natural diversity will provide

habitat for wildlife and help limit the

opportunity for a single pest to

destroy all plantings.An excellent

example of this was the American

elm (Ulmus americana).This lovely

tree was widely planted throughout

the United States.With the introduction of Dutch elm disease, thousands

of communities lost all their street

trees in only a few years.

8. Is the tree evergreen or deciduous? Evergreen trees will provide

cover and shade year round.They

may also be more effective as a barrier for wind and noise. Deciduous

trees will give you summer shade

but allow the winter sun to shine in.

This may be a consideration for

where to place the tree in your yard.

Placement of trees

Proper placement of trees is critical

for your enjoyment and their longterm survival. Check with local

authorities about regulations pertaining to placement of trees. Some communities have ordinances restricting

placement of trees within a specified

distance of a street, sidewalk, streetlight, or other utilities.

Before planting your tree, consider

the tree's ultimate size.When the

tree nears maturity, will it be too

near your house or other structures?

Be considerate of your neighbors.An

evergreen tree planted on your

north side may block the winter sun

from your next door neighbor.Will it

provide too much shade for your

vegetable and flower gardens? Most

vegetables and many flowers require

considerable amounts of sun. If you

intend to grow these plants, consider

how the placement of trees will

affect these gardens.Will it obstruct

driveways or sidewalks? Will it cause

problems for buried or overhead utilities? 

BACKYARD Tree Planting 

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Planting a tree

A properly planted and maintained

tree will grow faster and live longer

than one that is incorrectly planted.

Trees can be planted almost any time

of the year as long as the ground is

not frozen. Late summer or early fall

is the optimum time to plant trees in

many areas.This gives the

tree a chance to establish

new roots before winter

arrives and the ground

freezes.When spring arrives,

the tree is ready to grow.The

second choice for planting is

late winter or early spring.

Planting in hot summer

weather should be avoided.

Planting in frozen soil during

the winter is difficult and

tough on tree roots.When

the tree is dormant and the

ground is frozen, there is no

opportunity for the growth of

new roots.

Trees are purchased as container grown, balled and burlapped

(B&B), and bare root. Generally,

container grown are the easiest

to plant and successfully establish in

any season, including summer.With

container grown stock, the plant has

been growing in a container for a

period of time.When planting container grown plants, little damage is

done to the roots as the plant is

transferred to the soil. Container

grown trees range in size from very

small plants in gallon pots up to

large trees in huge pots. B&B plants

frequently have been dug from a

nursery, wrapped in burlap, and kept

in the nursery for an additional period of time, giving the roots opportunity to regenerate. B&B plants can be

quite large. Bare root trees are usually extremely small plants. Because

there is no soil on the roots, they

must be planted when they are dormant to avoid drying out.The roots

must be kept moist until planted.

Frequently, bare root trees are

offered by seed and nursery mail

order catalogs or in the wholesale

trade. Many state operated nurseries

and local conservation districts also

sell bare root stock in bulk quantities

for only a few cents per plant. Bare

root plants usually are offered in the

early spring and should be planted

as soon as possible upon arrival.

Carefully follow the planting instructions that come with your tree. If

specific instructions are not available, follow these tips:

1. BEFORE DIGGING, call your local

utilities to identify the location of

any underground utilities.

2. Dig a hole twice as wide as, and

slightly shallower than, the root ball.

Roughen the sides and bottom of the

hole with a pick or shovel so that

roots can penetrate the soil.

3.With a potted tree, gently remove

the tree from the container. Lay the

tree on its side with the container

end near the planting hole. Hit the

bottom and sides of the container

until the root ball is loosened. If

roots are growing in a circular pattern around the root ball, slice

through the roots on a couple of

sides of the root ball.With trees

wrapped in burlap, remove the

string or wire that holds the burlap

to the root crown. It is unnecessary

to completely remove the burlap.

Plastic wraps must be completely

removed. Gently separate circling

roots on the root ball. Shorten

exceptionally long roots, and

guide the shortened roots

downward and outward. Root

tips die quickly when

exposed to light and air, so

don't waste time.

4. Place the root ball in the

hole. Leave the top of the

root ball (where the roots

end and the trunk begins)

1

2⁄ to 1 inch above the surrounding soil, making sure

not to cover it unless roots

are exposed. For bare root

plants, make a mound of soil

in the middle of the hole and

spread plant roots out evenly

over mound. Do not set trees

too deep. As you add soil to

fill in around the tree, lightly

tamp the soil to collapse air

pockets, or add water to help

settle the soil. Form a temporary

water basin around the base of the

tree to encourage water penetration,

and water thoroughly after planting.

A tree with a dry root ball cannot

absorb water; if the root ball is

extremely dry, allow water to trickle

into the soil by placing the hose at

the trunk of the tree.

5. Mulch around the tree.A 3-foot

diameter circle of mulch is common.

6. Depending on the size of the tree

and the site conditions, staking may

be beneficial. Staking supports the

tree until the roots are well established to properly anchor it. Staking

should allow for some movement of

the tree.After trees are established,

remove all support wires. If these are

not removed they can girdle the

tree, cutting into the trunk and eventually killing the tree.

BACKYARD Tree Planting 

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Rules of thumb for planting a balled and burlapped tree:

1) Dig a hole twice as wide as, and slightly shallower than,

the rootball. Remove the string or wire holding the burlap to

the root ball, and gently place the ball in the hole. 2) Fill

with soil, lightly tamping the soil to collapse air pockets.

3) Finish by forming a temporary water basin around the

tree; water and mulch an area about 3 feet in diameter.
BACKYARD Tree Planting 

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Maintenance

For the first year or two, especially

after a week or so of especially hot

or dry weather, watch your trees

closely for signs of moisture stress. If

you see leaf wilting or hard, caked

soil, water the trees well and slowly

enough to allow the water to soak

in.This will encourage deep root

growth. Keep the area under the

trees mulched.

Some species of evergreen trees may

need protection against winter sun

and wind.A thorough watering in

the fall before the ground freezes is

recommended. Spray solutions are

available to help prevent drying of

foliage during the winter.

Fertilization is usually not needed for

newly planted trees. Depending on

soil and growing conditions, fertilizer

may be beneficial at a later time.

Young trees need protection against

rodents, frost cracks, sunscald, and

lawn mowers and weed whackers.

Mice and rabbits frequently girdle

small trees by chewing away the

bark at snow level. Since the tissues

that transport nutrients in the tree

are located just under the bark, a girdled tree often dies in the spring

when growth resumes.Weed whackers are also a common cause of

girdling. Plastic guards are an inexpensive and easy control method.

Frost cracking is caused by the

sunny side of the tree expanding at a

different rate than the colder shaded

side.This can cause large splits in the

trunk. Sunscald can occur when a

young tree is suddenly moved from a

shady spot into direct sun. Light colored tree wraps can be used to protect the trunk from sunscald.

Pruning

Usually, pruning is not needed on

newly planted trees.As the tree

grows, lower branches may be

pruned to provide clearance above

the ground, or to remove dead or

damaged limbs or suckers that

sprout from the trunk. Sometimes

larger trees need pruning to allow

more light to enter the canopy. Small

branches can be removed easily with

pruners. Large branches should be

removed with a pruning saw.All cuts

should be vertical.This will allow the

tree to heal quickly without the use

of sealants. Major pruning should be

done in late winter or early spring.

At this time the tree is more likely to

"bleed" as sap is rising through the

plant.This is actually healthy and will

help prevent invasion by many disease organisms. Heavy pruning in the

late summer or fall may reduce the

tree’s winter hardiness. Removal of

large branches can be hazardous. If

in doubt about your ability to prune

properly, contact a professional with

the proper equipment.

Under no circumstance should trees

be topped. Not only does this practice ruin the natural shape of the

tree, but it increases susceptibility to

diseases and results in very narrow

crotch angles, the angle between the

trunk and the side branch. Narrow

crotch angles are weaker than wide

ones and more susceptible to damage from wind and ice. If a large tree

requires major reduction in height or

size, contact a professionally trained

arborist.There are other methods to

selectively remove large branches

without sacrificing the health or

beauty of the tree.

On the farm

Windbreaks and tree plantings slow

the wind and provide shelter and

food for wildlife.Trees can shelter

livestock and crops; they are used as

barriers to slow winds that blow

across large cropped fields and

through farmsteads.Windbreaks can

be beneficial in reducing blowing

and drifting snow along roadways.

Farmstead and field windbreaks and

tree plantings are key components

of a conservation system.They also

help prevent dust particles from

adding to smog over urban areas.

Improper pruning: Cuts from the top in

one operation can tear at the bark.A

sloped cut will gather water and decay.A

decaying stub that’s irregular won’t callous over well.

Proper pruning: A ring of callous (top)

will form over a good vertical cut. First

cut away the limb to remove the weight,

making initial cuts from the bottom.

Then cut the stub from below.

Printed by the National Association of Conservation Districts 1-800-825-5547