So you think you know how to plant a tree - Conventional wisdom was always to plant tree as deep as the container it sits in - But that old “tried and true” way of planting a tree, as research has proven, is not true!

Here’s the problem:  When trees are plucked from the grower’s fields, they are put into containers and shipped across the country.  To help anchor them in their travels and prevent roots from drying too quickly, growers throw an extra shovel or two of soil on top of the root ball.  It adds weight, stabilizes the tree, and adds extra protection to the root ball.  By the time the tree is sold, there might be as much as 15 extra inches of soil on top of the root ball! If planted as is, the roots will be too far underground, forcing the tree to grow secondary roots that grow up toward the soil surface rather than out horizontally. The roots will wrap themselves around each other and around the trunk, eventually sentencing the tree to a slow stressed death march.  The tree gets girdled from its own roots.

It won’t be noticeable at first, but about 15 to 20 years down the road, or when strong winds prevail, the tree starts showing the stress.  Winds easily uproot the tree, since the roots haven’t been growing horizontally, anchoring the tree firmly in the ground.  In fact, studies conducted by the University of Minnesota show that more than 80 percent of sugar maples that were in decline around the Twin Cities area had stem-girdling roots. Roots were suffocating and trunks below the soil surface were rotting. 

The right way to plant a tree – Really!

Start by digging a shallow, saucer shaped bowl that’s about three to four times wider than the diameter of the root ball.  The depth will be determined by the “root-flare,” the first horizontal root on the tree’s trunk.  To find it, gently remove the tree from its container. Scrape away the soil from the top of the root ball until you find the root flare, located where the trunk slightly swells.  (Don’t be surprised if you remove 6 to12 inches or more of soil).  Also, examine the roots.  If they are wound around each other, try pulling them apart or prune them to loosen and stretch out horizontally.  Then plant the tree in the hole, adding soil accordingly so that the root flare is planted at or slightly below the soil surface. Water well and adjust with more or less soil. And water again.