Young Tree Checkup

Certified Arborist Wes Hopper makes an assessment on a tree that we planted one year ago. The tree is a golden raintree. It has grown over the past year which is a good sign. Currently the leaves look bad because they are about to turn and fall off for the year. There are a few dead twigs that Wes prunes out. He does not prune any live tissue. Wes says that less is better – let nature take its course, don’t prune and don’t fertilize a newly planted tree. It needs to grow a root system in the native soil. The tree is growing in the grass but there is a circle of dirt around the tree which is good. You want to have a grass free area around the base of the tree so it is not damaged by lawn equipment. When there are compacted soils water does not soak in to the ground as well. You can use a deep root waterer which injects water into the soil. For a small tree, you can water around the base. For a larger tree, use a grid pattern under the tree canopy.

Related Videos:
Planting a Tree (When Wes planted the tree)

November 5, 2016

Related Resources:
Planting and After Care of Community Trees
Tree Pruning Essentials
Tree fertilization: A guide for fertilizing new and established trees in the landscape