Although we don’t offer tree planting in Louisville, it’s something that we absolutely love to see happen. If you’re new to learning about our company, then you might not be aware how much we love trees. Our love of trees is why we got into this industry…and we did previously do installation work.
In fact, we were involved in starting a program called Love Louisville Trees (now known as the Louisville Grows Tree Planting Program), which has been responsible for installing thousands of trees in our city. Planting trees is incredibly important as they play a vital role in improving air quality and are a crucial component of a healthy ecosystem.
Plus, planting a tree on your property will have other significant benefits specific to you like aesthetic value, shade, privacy screening, wind screening, energy savings, and more.
If you’re thinking about planting a tree on your Louisville property, we’re here to share some step-by-step tips and also answer some important questions. Proper installation is absolutely critical to the success and long-term health of your tree.
In this article we will cover:
What are the steps for planting a tree?
What to watch out for when planting a tree?
When is the best time to plant a tree?
Do I need a permit to plant a tree?
Choosing tree services in Louisville, KY
While we want to share these tips to help educate homeowners about what’s involved with planting a tree to inspire more installations, at the end of the day, it’s something that might be best completed by a landscaping professional if you aren’t confident about it.
The steps themselves to planting a tree are not that complicated. But there are nuances to each step where things can go awry. For instance, a common mistake can occur during the very first step (digging a hole), if the hole is not dug deep enough. Planting a tree too shallowly can lead to exposed roots and other ongoing problems.
But planting a tree too deep is a problem, too. Installing a tree too deep can lead to problems with the bark and root deterioration. It’s important that your roots have proper access to oxygen.
Another really common tree planting mistake is installing a tree somewhere on your property where it’s not going to thrive…or where it will become problematic down the road.
We’ll dive more into these in the next section.
First, here are some of the basic steps for planting a tree.
1. Dig a hole. The hole should be two to three times wider than the root ball and deep enough to fully cover it.
2. Position the tree properly. As you place the root ball inside of the hole, make sure that the tree is positioned the way you want it. As you do this, be careful not to pick up the tree by its trunk but rather move it by the root ball container. Make sure the trunk is straight. Have a friend hold the tree while you step back and take a wide look.
3. Fill the hole in. Gently fill in the hole with the soil that was just removed. Pack the soil gently.
4. Water the tree. Allow the water to help the soil settle. According to the Forest Service, a newly planted tree requires six to eight gallons of water for every diameter inch of trunk—per week.
5. Incorporate a mulch ring. Adding mulch around a tree can help protect its roots. This is another step where mistakes are commonly made. One of the biggest mistakes is piling mulch up against the tree trunk. In our industry, we call this a “mulch volcano” and it’s an improper way of mulching. You do not want the mulch piled up as this can promote root rot. Instead, picture a donut when mulching around a tree.
As we mentioned, proper installation is critical to the long-term health of your tree. Planting mistakes can lead to tree health problems down the road that may not be easily remedied.
Common problems include improper planting depth, planting a tree in a poor location, mulching a tree improperly, and watering a tree improperly.
One of the best pieces of advice that we can offer is making sure that you are installing the right tree in the right place. That means that you’re installing the tree in a location on your property where it will get what it needs (in terms of things like sunlight and water).
The health of the soil in that location is also important as are the overall conditions of that location. For instance, if you plant a tree in a spot on your property that is constantly getting waterlogged, that could lead to issues with root rot. It’s important that the soil structure is good and that it drains well.
But it’s also a matter of making sure you’re considering the future growth of the tree. This is something that is commonly overlooked when a tree is small and just being installed for the first time.
We always broke tree species into categories of small, medium, and large when planting a tree.
The best time to plant a tree is in the fall, after leaf drop, or in the early spring (before budding takes place). This is the time when a tree is still dormant and the weather is milder.
We always loved planting trees in October and in April. These are just great months here in Louisville, KY for installing trees. The weather is mild and the ground is soft.
Ideally, you want to give the tree some time to become established and grow its roots prior to the intense heat of the summer sets in or the intense cold of the winter takes hold.
If installing trees in the fall, keep in mind that it is safe to plant a tree until the ground is frozen. Once the ground freezes it’s not only going to be difficult to dig, but it’s going to be very hard for the tree’s roots to become established in the cold, hard soil. If you’ve missed the fall planting window, wait until the spring.
According to the Louisville, KY government page, permits are required to perform maintenance on a tree or plant a tree in the public right of way.
This would most commonly be the area between the sidewalk and the street, which is really not an optimal place to be planting a tree anyhow. If there is any doubt, you can always talk to a tree care professional.
As we mentioned, we do not install trees, but we do care for them. Once your tree is installed and growing, you’re going to want to find a tree care service that can help you maintain its best health.
Vital services like tree pruning and fertilization will help your trees to continue to perform their best. A tree service can also help you with problems that might arise with your trees like diseases and pests.
It’s important that you do your research so that you can find the best tree care service.
Finding the best tree company for your needs is a matter of peace of mind. Diagnosing tree problems can be complicated and you want to make sure that you’re working with a skilled professional.
As you do that research, we’d love for you to consider Limbwalker. Not only can we help diagnose tree problems and care for your trees with services like fertilization and pruning, but we can also implement the proper solutions and help you prevent many problems in the first place.
With the proper care, you can avoid tree stress and help promote healthy and thriving trees.
At Limbwalker, we care deeply about homeowners like you and want to help you achieve a safe and beautiful property that you love. For that reason, we’re always here to answer your questions about tree care.
If you are installing a tree on your property and you have questions, feel free to reach out!
At the end of the day, we believe that you deserve to enjoy your Louisville property to the fullest. Having healthy trees is the key to ensuring that happens.
If you’d like to learn more about tree services for your Louisville home, get in touch, get your quote, and get back to enjoying your yard.