Planting trees can be a lifetime investment. Depending on the size of the tree, it also has the potential to be financially significant. The shade trees we sit under today were planted by the city or residents decades ago or are remnants of the urban forest before construction of the College Park subdivision that you live in. So be sure and get your new tree off to a good start.

Before planting take the site into consideration. Be aware of the mature size of the tree years from now and plan accordingly. This includes the trees’ width and height, the amount of sunlight, soil type, and drainage. If you are planting under utility lines, then plant a small tree species. The College Park website has a brochure with recommended trees. Additional information on selecting trees can be found on the University of Maryland’s Cooperative Extension Service website HERE.

Before planting your newly purchased tree, submit a ticket at https://www.missutility.net/ to have the utility lines on your property marked. Once marked, dig a hole two to three times the width of the tree's root ball or pot. Plant only as deep as the root ball or pot. It is better to plant a little higher, about 1 to 2 inches higher than the roots surface to allow for soil settling. A wide hole encourages outward root growth and gives the young roots plenty of room to spread as they continue growing into the undisturbed surrounding soil. Save the excavated soil from the hole to use as backfill. If the existing soil is dense or rocky, it can be amended with good topsoil or compost. If soil is dense (eg, clay), compost is a particularly good soil amendment to help improve the structure and loosen it up.

If the tree is in a pot, remove it from the container before planting. If planting a ball and burlap (B&B) tree, cut off any tags and string around the root collar carefully to avoid damaging the tree. If the root ball of a containerized tree has circling roots (ie, is rootbound), cut the circling roots around the sides and the bottom. Do not fret about pruning off these circling roots. The tree will not be harmed by pruning them. This will encourage outward root growth, which will help to stabilize the new tree. Place the B&B or tree removed from the pot in the hole and check to make sure that it is at the correct height with the root flare 1” to 2” above the ground. It should rest on firm soil. Remember too deep is not good and will eventually cause problems. You may have to pull the tree out and add some soil to bring it up to the correct height. If a B&B tree, fold down the burlap and wire cage or snip off the wire at least around the top ¾ of the ball. Make sure that the tree is straight. You may need someone to hold it in a straight position. Begin backfilling the hole around the root ball with amended soil about one-third of the way up to ground level and add water to settle the backfilled soil. Continue backfilling the hole the rest of the way, tamping gently to remove air pockets and adding more water to settle the soil again. The soil should be moist but not flooded with water. Smooth out the soil around the base.

It's not necessary to stake the tree; unstaked trees develop stronger and more quickly. If tree trunk protection is needed from lawn mowing equipment, consider installing a 6” piece of flexible corrugated drainage pipe around the base of the trunk. Welded wire tree protection fence can be installed with stakes and zip ties around the tree to protect the tree from deer rubbing damage if needed. Give the tree some room to grow inside the protection fence.

Don’t suffocate your tree with too much mulch. Two to three inches deep is plenty. The shape of the mulch should be like a bowl to direct the rain toward the tree. This helps keep the surface of the soil cool, to retain moisture, and discourages weed growth. Don’t pile the mulch up against the trunk of the tree. We call these volcano mulches. This creates an environment for soil fungi and other pathogens to infect the trunk when the mulch decays. It also can create conditions where shallow surface roots sprout which may die during a drought. The University of Maryland Cooperative Extension recommends keeping mulch three inches away from the trunk of your tree.

Water your tree immediately after you plant it. It can take up to two years for a tree to become completely established in its new location, so be sure and check the soil moisture around it frequently. Depending on weather conditions, you may need to water as much as twice a week.

A brochure with diagrams on how to plant a tree can be found HERE. You may find information about the city’s tree planting programs at https://www.collegeparkmd.gov/315/Trees. This includes the residential tree planting program for trees provided at no cost, and the tree canopy enhancement program which can reimburse you for $150 for some trees.

Keep posted for the Arbor Day tree planting which will be held on April 25. If you have further questions, contact David Wigglesworth, City Arborist at dwigglesworth@collegeparkmd.gov or 240-487-3602.