Planting and Caring for Trees and Shrubs
When to Plant?
Here in South Central Colorado, you can plant anytime the ground is not frozen. Just to be absolutely safe, though, we recommend planting between late April and mid-September. Whenever you plant, get your tree or shrub or annuals and perennials in the ground as soon as possible after purchase. If you can’t get them in the ground right away, keep them well watered until you can.
Know Your Plant!
It is important that you know a bit about the likes and dislikes of tree or shrub before you buy one because this information will determine what kind of tree or shrub to buy and where in your yard to plant it. You should take into consideration the plant’s shade/sun preferences, watering and spacing requirements, its eventual mature height and width, and its ability to attract bees and birds.
Finding the Perfect Spot
In addition to knowing the characteristics of your plant, you should also think about the role you want your new plant to play in your yard. Do you want a tree to provide shade or add color to your yard? Do you want to form a privacy screen with a group of trees or have a single tree serve as a focal point? Where in your yard would a shrub or group of shrubs provide some accent of color, shape, and texture?
Prepping the Hole
Dig your hole about 1.5 times as wide as the tree or shrub’s root ball or container and just a few inches deeper. Mix the extracted soil with an amendment such as Cotton Burr Compost or Peat and Sheep in about a 70/30 soil to amendment blend. You will use this mixture to back fill the hole around the tree or shrub once you have it in the ground.
Setting Your Trees and Shrubs
Once the hole is dug, back fill a few shovel fulls of the 70/30 blend into the hole and carefully set your tree or shrub on top of it. The root ball or container of the tree or shrub should set perfectly level with the ground around it. If not, add or subtract the blend until the tree or shrub root ball/container sits perfectly level. Remove the tree or shrub out of the hole for the time being and add a generous portion of MYKE to the bottom of the hole.
Why MYKE?
MYKE (mycorrihizae) is a beneficial fungus that promotes vigorous root growth, which supercharges the tree or shrub’s roots to extract nutrients from the soil. We strongly recommend that our customers use MYKE with everything they plant. Right: MYKE in bottom of newly dug hole.
Planting B & Bs
Liberally sprinkle MYKE into the bottom of the hole. Set the tree/shrub into the hole so that the top of the root ball is even with or slightly above the surrounding ground and oriented the way you want it. Don’t remove any burlap, straps, strings, or wire. Gently backfill around root ball with the 70/30 blend. Now you can remove any burlap, straps, strings or wire from the top of the root ball. Continue to back fill the hole, and gently compact the amended soil until it is level with the surrounding ground.
Planting Containerized Plants
Make sure the root ball of your plant is wet before carefully removing it from the container. Assuming that you have already adjusted the depth of the hole so that your plant will be at the the correct height when planted, and you’ve added MYKE to the bottom of the hole, gently break up the root ball with your hands or garden knife. Next, set the plant in the hole at your desired orientation and gently back fill the hole with the 70/30 amendment blend until level with the surrounding ground.
Mulching
Mulching helps to retain soil moisture and keep the soil cool. Once the plant is planted, add about 3-4 inches of mulch around the base of the plant, making sure to keep the mulch away from the trunk or stem to avoid mold, disease, and insect infestation. Make sure the mulch extends at least a few inches beyond the diameter of the root ball. We recommend a western red cedar/gorilla hair mulch for optimal mulching effectiveness.
Staking
Given the windy conditions in our area, we strongly recommend staking larger trees and shrubs using 2-4 metal or wooden stakes. Secure the tree to the stakes using arbor ties or tree straps. Remove the stakes and the straps once the plant is firmly rooted in the ground, which is generally about a year after planting. Gently shake the tree or shrub, and if there is no or little movement at its base, the stakes should be removed.
First Watering
Mix Fertilome Root Stimulator with water and apply to your newly planted tree or shrub immediately. Follow the directions on the bottle. Root stimulator reduces transplant shock (yellowing, wilting, and dropping of leaves and needles). You can apply the root stimulator several times during the first few months after planting. Left: Adding Fertilome Root Stimulator to water for a tree’s first watering following planting.
Longer-Term Watering
As your trees and shrubs mature, they will need less water over time—but to ensure they will continue to grow and be healthy, they will need to be watered periodically, especially during our hot, dry summers. For shrubs, water 2-3 times a week with 1-2 gallons each time. For trees, apply 10 gallons of water per inch of trunk diameter (as measured on the trunk 4” off the ground). So a tree with a 3” diameter would get 30 gallons of water at each watering. Drought tolerant trees and shrubs can be watered less frequently but still using the same amounts of water.
The Cardinal Rule of Watering
The key to proper watering of any plant is SLOW, DEEP, AND PENETRATING watering. For optimal watering, the water must penetrate far below the ground’s surface to the bottom of the root ball. That’s why hand watering with a sprayer is ineffective—it usually results in underwatering. Don’t count on sprinklers or rain to provide deep and penetrating watering, either. Underwatering, even for a single day, can kill a newly planted tree or shrub. For best results, install drip system, which we highly recommend.
Fencing
We live in an area in which deer, and sometimes elk, antelope, and moose, can severely damage trees and shrubs, either by “horning” them with their antlers or by munching on them. A highly effective way to prevent such damage is to place fencing around trees and shrubs. Use either metal, plastic, or nylon fencing 3’-6’ high depending on the height of the tree or shrub
Fertilizing
Never fertilize newly planted trees and shrubs; their root systems are generally not strong enough to handle full-strength fertilizers. Rather, let your trees and shrubs winter over, and fertilize them the following spring (early April) and again in the early fall (early September). Spring fertilizing helps to develop both leaves and roots; fall fertilizing promotes root growth. Right: Our Fertilome Tree and Shrub Fertilizer comes in two ready-to-use sizes.
Winter Care
Your trees and shrubs need care during the winter—especially conifers (evergreens) because they loose water through their needles and leaves. At least once a month, when the temperature is above freezing (40 degrees) and weather conditions dry, water using the guidelines above. To help prevent water loss in conifers, apply an anti-desiccant, such as Wilt-Pruf.
Long-Term Care
Inspect your trees and shrubs frequently for problems such as fungus, disease, insect infestation, damage due to rodents, wind, and sun. Also periodically check to make sure your watering system is intact and that all your trees and shrubs are getting sufficient water. After a snowfall, especially if the snow is wet and heavy, brush snow off of limbs to prevent breakage. This is particularly important for your deciduous trees during early snowfall in the fall, and late snowfall in the spring when leaves may be present.