- Do plant the tree at the right depth, with the top of the root ball as high or slightly higher than surrounding soil.
- Do eliminate competition from lawn by clearing the grass out a minimum of 18″ (more is better) from the trunk and keeping the cleared area mulched.
- Don’t “volcano mulch” the trunk of your new tree, 2″ of mulch over the roots and 1″ or less touching the trunk.
- Don’t let a string trimmer get close enough to strip off the bark of your new tree.
- Don’t use “weed-and-feed” fertilizer near your new tree.
- Don’t excessively prune all lower growth off your new tree thinking it will make your tree grow up faster; it will actually slow growth of roots, trunk diameter, and height.
- Do check watering frequently through the first summer and water as
needed.
-James
