When to Plant: 

It is best to transplant trees when they are dormant (meaning they are not producing food). In Georgia, most deciduous trees are dormant from late fall until the end of winter. The best time to plant is between November and March.

Tree Planting
	Dig the hole. Click photo for larger image.
	Score the sides of the hole. Click photo for larger image.
	Score the bottom of the hole. Click photo for larger image.
	Measure the width of the hole using the shovel handle. Click photo for larger image.
	Remove tree from container and massage the rootball. Click photo for larger image.
	Massage the rootball with your fingers. Click photo for larger image.
	Measure the height and width of the hole -- wide and deep, but not too much!  Click photo for larger image.
	Separate dirt from grass to exclude grass seeds from back fill. Click photo for larger image.
	Separate dirt from grass. Click photo for larger image.
	Place tree in hole and backfill the hole. Click photo for larger image.
	Aerate the soil as you backfill. Click photo for larger image.
	Observe tree as you backfill. Click photo for larger image.
	Check to make sure the tree is standing up stratight. Click photo for larger image.
	Tree is in the ground, but not fully planted. Still needs mulch and water. Click photo for larger image.
	After mulching, optionally place a ring of rocks around the tree for added protection. Click photo for larger image.
	Tree mulched, watered, and ready to grow! Click photo for larger image.

Find the Right Place.

• See "Right Tree, Right Place" page.

Dig the planting hole.

• At least twice as wide as the rootball, and slightly shallower. The goal is make the root flare on the tree even with the top of the planting hole. Use your shovel handle to measure.

• Remove all grass and weeds from the top of the planting area and set aside; you don’t want them to go back in the hole.

• Check size by placing the tree in its hole (lift by rootball, not trunk).

• Loosen the floor of the hole somewhat to allow for drainage and root growth if the sides of the hole have become glazed as a result of digging (mainly wet clay soils). The sides of the hole need to be loosened to allow for root growth and drainage. Use the shovel blade to score the hole, which means make six or seven notches in the sides and bottom of the hole.

• Make the floor of the hole flat so that the tree stands straight.

Carefully place tree in planting hole, lifting underneath the rootball, NOT the trunk.

• If planting a containerized tree, cut off roots growing through the pot using pruners.

• Loosen tree inside the pot by lying on its side and pressing on the container with your hands or knee. Remove pot by sliding the pot off the root ball (most easily done if one person holds tree and the other wiggles bucket off).

• Inspect rootball for circling roots (these will be woody roots), and cut off circling portion using pruners; make sure to disturb only circling roots. (The non-woody white root tips are used for nutrient and water uptake and are greatly needed.

• If planting a ball and burlap (B&B) tree, loosen the wire basket by cutting it as low as possible, cut off all ties, and remove as much burlap as possible.

Backfill evenly around rootball using the soil from the planting hole.

• Break up clumps of dirt as needed (easiest to do after they are back in hole, using a shovel to chop 'em up).

• Remove grass and other weeds that snuck in. We don't want to grow grass, that will compete with the tree for water and nutrients.

• Gently press the soil in the planting hole with shovel handle to remove large air pockets that could damage or kill roots, being careful not to compact the soil.

• The finished level of backfill should be continuously even and basically level from the edge of the planting hole to the rootball with no more than one inch of backfill covering the rootball.

• Any extra soil can be used to form a berm (doughnut) around the tree to help hold water in.

Mulch the exposed soil.

• Two to four inches thick. But don't make a mulch volcano, or it'll extra difficulty for the water to seep down into the roots.

• Wider is better! Take it as wide as you want, but at least to the dripline.

• Keep about three inches away from trunk to reduce crown rot and damage from rodents.

• See Mulching Your Tree for further details.

Water.

• Twice, about ten minutes apart, to further settle the soil.

• Pour it on slowly and let it infiltrate.

• Do not pack or stamp wet soil, as compaction of soil air spaces will result.

• Water routinely as needed; we recommend 10 gallons a week for a 10 gallon containerized tree.

• See Watering Your Tree for further details.

Staking and tying.

• Position stakes outside the planting hole, in soil that has not been disturbed.

• Use flat belting to decrease damage to the bark and transport systems. Do not use wire or hose to tie the tree.

• Remove ties after one growing season, because unremoved ties will girdle branches or trunk.

• Use stakes without ties to protect the tree from lawn mowers and other potential damage (two for narrow strips and a minimum of three evenly spaced around the hole for larger areas).

Prune sparingly.

• Remove dead wood, damaged branches, and structural problems.

• See Pruning Your Tree for further details.

Maintenance.

• Water and check routinely for damage.

• While young, the tree should be checked for structural problems: crossing branches, crown density, double/multiple leaders, and branches growing toward the street or structures such as buildings, fences, walls and power lines.

Enjoy your Tree!

Trees Atlanta  ~ 
Protecting & improving our urban environment by planting & conserving trees.