Caring for Trees & Shrubs

On my fall walks last year, I was surprised (and a bit saddened) to see how many young trees and shrubs hadn't survived. Most were planted in new areas and simply didn't get the TLC they needed to settle in. And as anyone who's ever replaced a tree knows—your wallet feels it.

We love seeing you at the greenhouse in spring, but we want those trips to be for the fun stuff, not because you're replacing half your yard. Let's help your trees and shrubs get established properly so they can thrive and you can spend your spring dreaming up new gardening projects instead.

How do I plant and care for my trees and shrubs?

Timing: Trees and shrubs can be planted anytime from spring to fall as long as the ground can be worked, and as long as the plants have been acclimatized to the current temperatures.

Location: Pick a location that is free of electrical, plumbing, or excess roots from other trees, and has adequate sunlight, water, and drainage for the type of tree/shrub being planted. Do not place them in an area where your downspout drains or where there is poor drainage overall.

Hole: Dig your hole twice as wide as the tree or shrub’s pot, and as deep as the pot itself. If your subsoil is excessively heavy with high clay content, dig a little deeper and fill this space with clean sand or gravel to enhance drainage conditions.

Planting: Carefully remove the plant from its pot. If its roots are tightly bound, gently massage some of the outer ones loose. Plant the tree or shrub so the soil level in the pot is at the same level as the ground around it and so the tree or shrub is straight.

Backfill: If the soil you dug out is of good quality, you may use it to backfill the hole. If this soil is poor, mix it with a good quality soil-mix and a little bone meal before backfilling. Add soil a layer at a time, packing the soil around the root ball each layer to eliminate air pockets and ensure good soil contact, then settle with water.

Tree well: Create an indentation in the soil which will hold water around the base of the plant.

Staking: If wind could tip or unroot the tree, you may stake it with two stakes on opposite sides of the tree and tie with flexible material that will not damage the bark. Stakes can be removed after the first year.

Mulching: Mulch helps to retain moisture, moderate temperature, and reduce grass and weeds, but it must not be added close to the base of a tree. Pull mulch back from the base of the tree by at least 1 foot to prevent disease.