Starting Out Right With a New Young Tree
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| Photo Credit: Jennifer Bradley Lenet |
| Many gardeners plant small 1-gallon trees, but you have to care for them properly for them to grow into big, healthy beauties. |
What better way to celebrate Earth Day or Arbor Day than by planting a tree? A lot of us can’t afford the cost of purchasing and installing a large boxed tree, so we end up buying a 1- or 5-gallon size with the hope our small investment will produce a big, healthy specimen (after plenty of time and TLC). Unfortunately, smaller trees can come with pitfalls – like producing “lollipop” look-alikes or root-bound specimens that blow over in a windstorm. But you can avoid these problems if you just follow some easy instructions.
First, pick the best tree – and that doesn’t mean the tallest and biggest in the row. Often the largest trees are root-bound and can’t anchor its bigger crown in a brisk windstorm. So check out that root system! Ask your garden center or nursery professional to help you remove the tree from its pot so you can take a look at what lies below. | Add Photo to Journal |  | | Photo Credit: Jennifer Bradley Lenet | | Without good pruning, your little tree could turn into a lollipop. |
If the tree is pot-bound, the roots will circle – often at the surface, but more likely at the side of the pot or on the bottom. A healthy tree will have healthy, fine, fibrous roots extending to the container’s edge, but they won’t circle or create a tight mesh of roots along it. Also, make sure the roots aren’t brown, water-soaked or falling apart when you touch them. Look for creepy crawlies in the pot, too. Healthy, active earthworms are a good sign. Ants aren’t.
Be sure to choose a straight trunk with a few well-spaced, insect- and disease-free branches to provide your young tree with a healthy start. It’s okay to have a few smaller branches lower on the trunk, but avoid suckering from below the grafting point. Tell the garden center or nursery professional where you want the tree in your yard – to make sure you’ve got the right plant for the right location. Don’t forget to consider the tree’s proposed mature height and width as well.
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| Tips |
- Scaffold branches begin the main framework of a tree. They should be evenly spaced and look like spokes of a wheel when viewed from above.
- It’s a good idea to stake and tie your tree from at least two sides in windy areas.
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| Facts |
- Slow, deep waterings are the best for any tree.
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Page 1 of 3
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Next Steps
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Articles
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Staking Trees the Right Way
For a young tree to grow strong and healthy, it needs to be properly staked. Learn how to keep your new trees safe and standing tall for years to come.
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Tree Maintenance Considerations
Before you buy a tree for your yard, consider the maintenance requirements of various tree species.
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Pruning Fruit Trees
Think you’ve got nothing to do in the garden this winter? If you’ve got fruit trees in your yard, grab those gardening gloves, pruning tools and your hat and coat. It’s time to do a little trimming to ensure healthy trees with lots of tasty fruit!
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