How to Plant an Ornamental Cherry Tree

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Like many trees, ornamental cherry trees prefer well-drained and moist soil during the first two or three seasons after planting. Ornamental cherries, however, are extremely adaptable trees that can thrive in many soil types, as well as a wide variety of climate zones.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

Shovel

Step1

Find the right spot to plant your ornamental cherry tree. These trees can grow to a height of 25 to 40 feet, with a spread of more than 20 feet. Decide on a location where a mature tree will not interfere with fences, buildings or power lines.

Step2

Plant your ornamental cherry tree in either spring or fall. If you choose to plant your tree in autumn, you may need to prune all new growth from the tree to ensure that it will remain dormant through the winter.

Step3

Dig a hole that is slightly deeper than the root ball of your ornamental cherry tree, and at least twice the width. You may want to create a hole with an even larger diameter if the soil is unusually hard, compacted or wet.

Step4

Remove your ornamental cherry tree from the container or burlap sack, and place the tree in the hole. The burlap sack can be left at the bottom of the hole if it is more convenient, since it will eventually decompose if buried.

Step5

Loosen the root system gently, especially if the tree was left in its container too long and is now root bound. Use your fingers to untangle the longer roots gently, taking care not to break any of the smaller ones if possible.

Step6

Replace the soil around the exposed root ball, taking care to pack the soil to the same level of the root ball that existed in the container. You may want to mix the soil with a small amount of sphagnum peat moss (no more than 10 percent of the total soil volume) if the soil is unusually wet, which will help with drainage.

Step7

Water thoroughly for the first few weeks after the planting. You may want to pack excess soil in a circular ridge around the tree to help retain water around the trunk.

Tips & Warnings

You should plant ornamental trees in climate zones 5 through 8, which covers the majority of the country with the exception of the Northern Plains, the Desert Southwest and Florida. Check with a climate zone map, such as the one found on the YardLover website, to ensure an ornamental cherry tree will thrive in your area (see Resources below).