Arbor Day – Tree Planting Season
Although tree planting is a tradition for Arbor Day, you can plant most trees from spring to fall. The planting is quite simple even though there may be specific directions for one type or another. I have had the most luck with the following method. Dig a hole about twice the size of the root ball. Add some compost to the bottom of the hole. Remove the fabric covering the root ball or cut slices in it if it is biodegradable. Place the tree root in the middle of the hole with the top of the root ball level with the top of the hole. Half fill the hole with a mix of potting soil, mulch and native soil. Flood the hole with water to the top. Wait for the water to settle and then fill the rest of the hole with the soil mixture slightly mounded around the tree trunk. Water each day for first week and then at least once per week, especially during dry spells. Add fertilizer periodically near the root ball and later out to the shadow of the tree crown. Pruning the tree once per year helps tree growth and flower blossoms. Trees grown within their climate zone are quite hardy and will last many years. For a sample of the types of trees available to your climate zone see the following web link: http://www.fast-growing-trees.com/Massachusetts.htm
Recently I purchased a couple of Cleveland Pear Trees to plant in the front yard. This is a non fruit bearing hybrid tree that has white flowers during the spring with deep green leaves all summer which turn dark scarlet red in the fall. The tree grows well in zone 5-8 and resists damage from extreme snow, ice and wind. It grows 3-4 feet per year and when mature 30 feet tall and 20 feet wide in a semi perfect oval shape. I looked around for a good purchase price and found the following variations for a 6 ft. tree (online nursery $129, local garden nursery $69, Lowe’s Garden Shop $19, and Home Depot Garden Shop $15). Most reputable dealers have a return policy that allows you to return the tree, if it dies within the first year.
Although tree planting is a tradition for Arbor Day, you can plant most trees from spring to fall. The planting is quite simple even though there may be specific directions for one type or another. I have had the most luck with the following method. Dig a hole about twice the size of the root ball. Add some compost to the bottom of the hole. Remove the fabric covering the root ball or cut slices in it if it is biodegradable. Place the tree root in the middle of the hole with the top of the root ball level with the top of the hole. Half fill the hole with a mix of potting soil, mulch and native soil. Flood the hole with water to the top. Wait for the water to settle and then fill the rest of the hole with the soil mixture slightly mounded around the tree trunk. Water each day for first week and then at least once per week, especially during dry spells. Add fertilizer periodically near the root ball and later out to the shadow of the tree crown. Pruning the tree once per year helps tree growth and flower blossoms. Trees grown within their climate zone are quite hardy and will last many years. For a sample of the types of trees available to your climate zone see the following web link: http://www.fast-growing-trees.com/Massachusetts.htm
Recently I purchased a couple of Cleveland Pear Trees to plant in the front yard. This is a non fruit bearing hybrid tree that has white flowers during the spring with deep green leaves all summer which turn dark scarlet red in the fall. The tree grows well in zone 5-8 and resists damage from extreme snow, ice and wind. It grows 3-4 feet per year and when mature 30 feet tall and 20 feet wide in a semi perfect oval shape. I looked around for a good purchase price and found the following variations for a 6 ft. tree (online nursery $129, local garden nursery $69, Lowe’s Garden Shop $19, and Home Depot Garden Shop $15). Most reputable dealers have a return policy that allows you to return the tree, if it dies within the first year.
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