How To Plant Trees

There are probably many ways to plant a tree, but this method I learned from an experienced gardener. Her garden is about 1000 m2 (11,000 sq ft) and I think it’s at least 20 years old, so I guess she knows what she’s talking about. It’s even open for visitors on some occasions. I have used this method with success several times so I think it’s worth sharing. It’s not that advanced but sometimes also the small things counts. So here goes.

This is the tree we want to plant. Soil is still attached to the roots. You can see the grass of the lawn:

Dig up three times as much turf as the root is wide and put it aside for later:

Dig down to about the double height of the root and put the turf in the bottom of the hole with the top down. Put the soil aside for late. In time the turf will turn into mould and provide the tree roots with nutrients. It will also prevent water from draining down too fast:

Put half of the soil from the hole back again. This could also be replaced by horse manure which would be absolutely great for the tree if you have it at hand. Or maybe compost. Just remember that horse manure will probably be compressed as time goes by so use a little more than you would do with the original soil:

Fill up the hole with water:

Let the water in the hole drain into the bottom and surrounding soil, and wait until you can’t see it anymore. This usually takes around half an hour in my soil. Then moisture is available for the tree in the coming days. Put the rest of the original soil back to fill up the hole. Also do a bit of watering on top of the soil:

This method can also be used on warm days since the soil will be wet below ground even though the sun is shining on the surface.