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Planting a new tree is an enjoyable experience that will reward you for years to come. Trees benefit the environment and enhance the natural beauty of your property. However, the success of your new tree will depend largely upon how, where and why it is planted. Here is our step-by-step tree planting guide.

1. Choose The Right Tree For Planting

Aussie Tree Solutions Choose The Right Tree

This step is arguably the most important of all. You’ll need to consider a few things before you step foot in your local nursery. Ask yourself:

  • What do you want from your new tree – shade? shelter? privacy?
  • Do you want beautiful flowers or fruit?
  • Do you want to attract native wildlife?
  • Are you happy to do some maintenance?

Once you’ve decided what you want from your new tree, it’s a bit like a game of perfect match, as it’s essential to select the right tree for your space. Consider the climate, the size of the space available, the conditions such as the soil type and exposure to the elements. Some trees will require quite well-drained soil while others can tolerate more moist conditions.

Make sure you know exactly how big the tree will be once mature. Once you’ve taken all of these things into consideration, you’re ready to choose your tree and tick off all the boxes so you (and your tree) end up happy.

2. Plant At The Right Time

Check when your chosen tree prefers to be planted. Generally speaking, the best time to plant a new tree is usually during the dormant seasons – late Autumn or early Spring. This timing allows the new tree to establish roots before the more extreme weather conditions of winter and summer.

3. Prepare Your Tree Planting Site

Aussie Tree Solutions Prepare Your Planting Site

Make sure you’ve selected a site that will allow the tree enough room to grow to its full, mature size. Don’t plant your tree close to your house, other structures, power lines or other trees. Dig a hole that is 2-3 times wider than the tree’s entire root ball and only as deep as the root ball. This should encourage the roots to grow outwards than downwards, which provides better access to nutrients and promotes stability.

4. Prepare The Root Ball

Carefully remove the new tree from its pot or wrapping by gently squeezing to loosen the dirt and roots. If you notice the roots are circling or very tightly bound loosen them off as well as the roots that have been at the bottom of the pot. This will allow the roots to take hold in the soil more effectively and stop them from growing in a circular pattern.

5. Plant Your Tree

Aussie Tree Solutions Plant Your Tree

Carefully position the tree in the centre of the hole, ensuring the root flare (where the roots spread out at the base of the tree trunk) is level to or slightly above, the ground. Planting your tree too deep in the hole can suffocate the roots, while planting too shallow can dry it out. Backfill the hole with the soil, gently packing it down to remove air pockets.

6. Water

Once you’ve planted your tree, be sure to water the tree thoroughly. This will help settle the soil in around the roots and provides the moisture your new tree needs. Providing adequate water is especially important for the first few weeks after planting as your tree adjusts to its new home. How much you will need to water ongoing will depend on the type of tree, the local climate and conditions but try to water regularly for the first year so that roots can establish well.

7. Add Mulch

Aussie Tree Solutions Add Mulch

Applying mulch is one of the best things you can do for your tree. Mulch is beneficial in a number of ways. It helps improve soil quality, retain moisture, regulate temperature, helps prevent weeds, and aids in keeping pests away.

However, you need to make sure you apply your mulch correctly, so as to not adversely affect the tree. Apply a 5 – 10 centimetre layer of mulch in a ring around your tree, being sure to leave a gap of 5 centimetres from the base of your tree. Piling too much mulch immediately around the base of the tree can lead to rotting, fungus and disease.

8. Provide Support Where Needed

If your new tree is in a particularly susceptible spot you may need to provide some extra support to give it the best chance of survival. For example, if you have a particularly tall, skinny tree in a very windy location, you may need to add a stake to provide support until the roots are firmly established.

9. Regular Check Ups

Aussie Tree Solutions Regular Check Ups

Make sure you regularly check on your new tree and look for any signs of sickness or stress such as changes to the leaf wilting, loss of leaves, leaf discolouration, the appearance of pests, stunted growth, fungus and an increase in deadwood. These can all be signs of issues that will need to be addressed.

10. Care And Maintenance

Provide your tree with ongoing care and maintenance by watering, mulching, removing weeds that can compete for water and nutrients and regularly pruning any dead or damaged branches. It’s a great idea to have your local Arborist regularly inspect and carry out maintenance on your tree for optimum tree health.

Professional Tree Planting & Care

Do you need tree planting help or advice? For all your professional tree planting and maintenance needs in Brisbane, speak to the team at Aussie Tree Solutions today. We have been taking care of Brisbane trees for over forty years, and there’s nothing we don’t know when it comes to trees.

Let our team of professionals provide you with the very best in tree care services from Consulting Arborists to tree removals and everything in between – we’ve got you covered!

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