Planting

To create a landscape that looks natural, avoid planting in rows or spacing the plants evenly. Instead, plant randomly. If you are planting several species and have multiple plants of each, clump each species together in groups of two or three. Spacing between plants should take into account how large they are going to grow and what you want it to look like when the plants are mature. While spacing varies from species to species, generally trees should be at least 10-12 feet apart, and small shrubs at least three feet apart. Be sure to locate each plant so that it gets enough sun or shade.

Plant in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid intense sunlight and heat, which can dry out the roots and kill the plant. Remember to keep the roots moist at all times!

1. Dig a hole twice as wide and at least as deep as the plant's roots. If the soil is very hard, loosen the soil at the bottom of the hole. If the soil is clay, roughen the sides of the hole with the edge of your shovel or spade (this will eliminate slick sides, which act as barriers to water and roots).

2. If you wish to add "good soil" or other material to your soil, make sure you add less than one bucket of new material for every bucket of old soil– otherwise, the roots may refuse to spread beyond the hole. If you want to add fertilizer, use a slow-release fertilizer and add it only to the soil below the roots.

3. Put enough soil back in the hole so that the plant will be buried just as deeply as it was before being disturbed.

4. Water the hole well (saturate the soil).

5. Putting the plant in the hole:

a. If the roots are in a burlap ball or encased in soil– untie the burlap and peel it back so the soil is exposed; carefully lift the root ball out of the burlap, place it in the hole, and arrange any exposed roots so they point outward.

b. If the plant is in a container– remove the plant from the container, and move the root ball around to break it up and roughen the sides (roots should stick out). Curving roots should be straightened out, and encircling roots should be cut off where they begin to circle (otherwise they will encircle and eventually kill the plant). Then place the plant in the hole, and arrange the roots so they point outward.

c. If the roots are bare, with no surrounding soil– add soil to make an upside-down cone in the middle of the hole. Hold the plant in the hole, over the cone, and arrange the roots around the cone so that none of the roots are curled around or bent. If a root can't be uncurled or unbent, cut it off, as it will only harm the plant's development.

6. Fill the remainder of the hole with soil half-way, and soak the soil (make mud!)

7. Finish filling the hole, then press the soil down firmly with your hands or feet (don't stomp) to close up any air holes. You usually do not need to water the top layer of soil. However, if you do so, don't allow puddles to form, as this will cause smaller soil particles to float to the top and form a barrier to water in the future.

8. If you are concerned about the plant not getting enough moisture (for example, if it's on a steep slope, or watering will be infrequent), encircle the filled-in hole with a mound of soil to create a watering well.

9. Cover the bare ground around the plant with mulch. This will help retain moisture, reduce surface erosion, moderate the temperature around the roots, discourage weeds, and if an organic mulch is used, add nutrients.8 Composted leaves work best, but you can use any weed-free organic matter, or even rocks or (as a last resort) wood chips. Fine sawdust is not a good choice, as it tends to form a water-repellent mat. Do not use cedar, anything with weed seeds (e.g., hay), or sawdust from painted or treated wood. Do not pile mulch around the stem itself.

10. Stake the plant only if it is so big and the root ball so small that the wind might blow it over. The plant should still be loose enough for it to move a little (½ - 1 inch) in the wind, and should not remain staked for longer than one year.

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