We Plant Trees and Get It Right the First Time

Putting aside the various details when planting different trees, all trees eventually end up in a hole. But not any hole will do. The most common mistake when planting a tree is digging the hole too deep and too narrow. Too deep means the roots don’t have access to sufficient oxygen to ensure proper growth. Too narrow – the root structure can’t expand sufficiently to nourish and properly anchor the tree.

As a general rule, trees should be transplanted no deeper than the soil in which they were originally grown. The width of the hole should be at least 3 times the diameter of the root ball or the spread of the roots, in the case of bare root trees. This will provide the tree with enough worked earth for its root structure to establish itself.