Plant A Tree With These Simple Steps
Whether you plant trees around your home and property, in your community, or in our national forests, they help fight climate change. Through the natural process of photosynthesis, trees absorb CO2 and other pollutant particulates, then store the carbon and emit pure oxygen. See how planting trees helps fight climate change.
Here’s 6 simple steps to planting a tree: 🌴🌳
- Soak
Soak the tree while you work to ensure the root ball is soaked through, as a dry root ball could reject water from the surrounding soil. Consider adding a seaweed product to the water to help the tree avoid transplant shock and to improve root growth going forward.
- Dig
It’s important to dig a hole that’s at least twice the size of the existing root ball of the tree. Depth is more important than width in most cases, so be sure to dig enough of a hole that the existing root can be completely covered. A bigger, deeper hole is better, but you don’t have to go to any great lengths.
- Improve
Improve your soil to help the plant survive in the long-term. In clay soils, add some gypsum to improve the soil structure and drainage, and well-rotted compost to provide organic matter and further structure. In sandy soils, compost is a must as it helps hold moisture around the roots. In all soils consider using a good fertilizer to help feed the plant, such as a slow-release fertilizer with microbial coating, or something as simple as blood and bone.
- Decant
Take the plant out of its pot in a way that keeps the roots as intact as possible. Root disturbance in healthy stock will shock the plant. If the plant is pot bound, or the roots have poor structure, consider teasing out the very bottom.
- Plant
Place the plant in the hole, and back-fill it with soil to cover the roots. Make sure the soil around the plant is firm, leaving a slight well at the top so that when it rains the water gets caught directly above the roots. This trick makes the most of any rain that comes, which is important in our climate.
- Water
Water the plant. This ensures that the soil settles around the plant, and the roots get good contact with the soil. It also provides an important first drink if the soil is otherwise dry, and provides deeper moisture even if it is already damp.
At The Ecofairy, our goal is to help you build a more sustainable life by offering you a line of reusable products. We offer products that last and that will help you reduce the amount of plastic you use.