How to Plant a Dogwood Tree From a Young Sapling

Dogwood trees provide year around color to the landscape, beginning with the pink or white blooms that appear in late spring, accompanied by light green foliage that turns darker during the heat of summer. The color display continues into autumn, when the leaves turn to a reddish purple color that, depending on the climate and the variety of dogwood, can often last past Christmas. Plant a dogwood sapling in spring, before new growth begins, and the air is cool.

Things You'll Need

• Dogwood sapling
• Shovel
• Organic mulch

Instructions

1. Purchase a dogwood sapling at a local greenhouse or nursery. Be careful about purchasing dogwood saplings at large garden centers, which may import trees from different climates. Purchase locally-grown trees, which will be right for your climate. Although the dogwood tree may be containerized, most dogwood trees will be burlapped.

2. Choose a protected spot in your garden where the dogwood sapling will be in partial shade. In their natural environment, dogwood trees grow under tall evergreen trees or on the edge of forests, where the light will be filtered, and the tree will be protected from strong wind. Be sure the soil is well-drained. If water pools in the area for more than 4 or 5 hours, choose a different spot.

3. Dig a hole as deep as the tree's root ball is tall, and at least double the width. Don't add any amendments such as compost, manure, peat moss or fertilizer to the soil.

4. Cut the twine or wire holding the burlap, and fold the burlap down about a third from the top. Any burlap that extends out of the soil after the tree is planted will wick needed moisture from the soil. If the roots are wrapped in synthetic burlap, it must be removed entirely. If the dogwood sapling is in a container, slide the sapling carefully out of the container. Never hold the tree by the trunk.

5. Set the dogwood sapling in the hole, and adjust the soil in the bottom of the hole to bring the roots to the proper planting height. Make sure the crown of the sapling, which is a small protuberance where the trunk meets the root system, is 1 to 2 inches above the top of the soil.

6. Create a basin around the tree by mounding the soil in a ridge about four inches tall. Fill the basin with 2 to 3 inches of organic mulch such as shredded bark.

7. Fill the basin with water immediately after planting the dogwood sapling. For the first two years, give the tree an inch of water every week. Don't water excessively, because too much water can cause the dogwood's roots to decay. After the first two years, water from rainfall should be adequate, unless the weather is very hot and dry.

References

• Alabama Cooperative Extension: Selection and Care of Dogwoods
• TreeHelp.com: Flowering Dogwood Care a step-by-step guide
• Texax A&M: Planting a Tree