Down the Garden Path: Planting trees in fall

Now that we are in early fall, you may notice gaps in your landscape. If a tree would add to your garden design, fall is a great time to plant. Compared to planting in spring, fall planting gives your tree a longer time to get established before facing the stresses of summer.

If you are ready to plant a tree this fall, here are some considerations:

Choosing the tree and location

After choosing the location, contact JULIE to locate your underground utilities so you can keep your tree away from cables and pipes. Visit the Extension’s tree selector website for help selecting an appropriate tree for your site.

For fall tree planting, choose a container-grown tree that has all of its roots, rather than a “balled and burlapped” tree that may only have about 40% of its roots. A tree with all of its roots will not have as much stress transplanting as one that is missing roots.

Digging the hole

The most common mistake when planting a tree is digging too deep. A properly dug hole is two to three times wider than the root mass, and only deep enough that the trunk flare is above ground. The flare is the part of the trunk at the bottom of a tree that begins to widen before transitioning to roots. If your young tree doesn’t have an obvious flare, find where the roots are coming out of the trunk to use a guide for the hole depth.

Planting the tree

Young trees may have bark that is easily damaged. To avoid damaging the trunk, tip the container on its side and slide the tree out. Lift the tree by the root mass and place it in the hole. To help your tree’s roots to grow outward, gently loosen the outer roots from the soil. If the roots are in a tight ball, cut the root mass from top to bottom with a knife in several places to loosen the roots.

Place the tree in the hole and refill with your soil. Do not add any potting soil or other amendments. The roots will be encouraged to spread and establish if they start off in the same soil that surrounds the hole.

Mulching the right way

Reduce stress on your tree by mulching with 2 to 4 inches of an organic material, such as wood chips, to help conserve moisture, reduce weeds, and add organic matter to the soil. Spread the mulch as wide as your planting hole, keeping it a few inches away from the trunk. Don’t make a “volcano” that touches the trunk because that can cause rotting or the formation of unwanted roots above ground, shortening the life of your tree.

Watering and care

Trees can take up to three years to establish and should be monitored for watering during this time. Once a week, check the top 1 to 2 inches of soil in the root area and water if it is dry, about 1.5 to 3 gallons for each inch of diameter of tree trunk. Continue watering when the air temperature is above 40 degrees F and the ground is not frozen.

Trees provide many benefits for our well-being, such as reducing home cooling costs, providing oxygen to breathe, and giving us a shady spot to rest in a hammock. Following these practices will give your tree a great start in your yard. For more information, check out web.extension.illinois.edu/treeselector. Also, check out the University of Illinois Extension Horticulture YouTube Channel for videos on other horticulture topics.