How to Plant a Flowering Tree With No Roots
When planting a tree or shrub, a hard-and-fast rule is there has to be a good root ball encased in soil. But plants can be planted with bare roots, and they cost considerably less at a garden center. It simply costs less for a wholesaler to ship a bare-root plant than one with a heavy root ball, and those savings are passed on to the consumer. If a bare-root planting is done correctly, the plant will reward the homeowner with good growth and hardiness. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Bare-root flower tree
- Pruning shears
- Shovel
- Tape measure
- Mulch
- Garden hose
Instructions
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Prune any dead branches or leaves from the tree at the planting site. This will leave more energy for the live leaves and branches.
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2
Dig a hole that is three times the diameter of the root system and make sure that there aren't any sizable shrubs or flower systems that will end up competing for water and nutrients from the shallow-root flowering tree.
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3
Remove the tree roots from the bag they are encased in. If the roots feel dry, soak them in water for four to six hours to rehydrate them.
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4
Measure the depth of the tree's root system from the base of the root collar (where the roots begin to flare out from the trunk) to the bottom of the root system with a tape measure. Then lay the digging shovel horizontally across the open hole to represent the ground level and measure from the bottom of the hole to the top of the shovel to insure the hole is dug to the right depth. The root collar should be at ground level. If the shallow hole is dug too deeply, fill it in with more soil.
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5
Set the tree upright in the hole and start filling it in with the soil dug out of the hole previously. Make sure the flowering tree is straight. When half the soil has been shoveled back in over the roots, water the soil well to get it to collapse around the roots and to collapse any air pockets.
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6
Finish back-filling, making sure the point on the tree where the roots begin to flare out is above soil level. Tamp the ground firmly.
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Spread mulch over the top of the ground. Use wood chips or tree bark that's been shredded. Create a layer about 3 inches thick. Keep it from having any contact with the trunk--too much moisture held around the trunk can cause fungi to start growing and the tree could become diseased.
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Keep the new tree well-irrigated during the first growing season to ensure that the tree takes and can establish itself.
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Tips & Warnings
No special fertilizers need to be added to the soil.
Bare-root trees don't need to be staked. However, if the tree is staked because the tree is planted in a location that receives lots of wind, be sure to remove the stake and ropes or wires after a year so they don't end up girdling the tree as it begins to grow.
