How to Protect Tree Seedlings

Protect tree seedlings until they are well-established.

Planting tree seedlings will reward you--and the environment--in years to come. Before long, seedlings grow into saplings, and some years later, they become mature trees that add beauty and shade. Through the process of photosynthesis, trees also turn carbon dioxide into oxygen, which is why environmentalists worry about deforestation. You can do your part to help reforest the land and add value to your home at the same time by planting seedlings.

Things You'll Need

• Wet rags
• Spade
• Rigid tree netting
• Dowels
• Shade card

Instructions

1. Keep tree seedlings moist when you are getting ready to plant them, advises Oregon State University Extension. Wrap them in a wet rag and set them in the shade until the planting hole is ready.

2. Dig the planting hole for each seedling deeply enough that the roots will not curl. They must hang straight down. Tamp the soil into place as you backfill the hole to prevent air pockets, which can lead to root death for lack of nutrient absorption.

3. Install rigid netting to protect the seedling from foraging animals if such animals are a problem in your area, advises The Federal Lands Highway Coordinated Technology Implementation Program (CTIP) on its website Roadside Revegetation. Use two dowels to support the netting, one on each side of a tube that you fashion from the netting. The dowels and the bottom of the net tube should extend 3 inches into the ground, so set it up before you finish backfilling the planting hole .

4. Remove other vegetation from the area around the plant. This will further discourage deer, rabbits and rodents from foraging near the plant, and will also prevent root competition.

5. Set up a shade card on the southern side of the seedling to prevent exposure to heat and warm south winds that can quickly dehydrate a seedling if you plant it on a southern exposure, according to CTIP. To do so, insert a piece of shingle, cardboard or other sturdy material into the ground, close to the seedling, so that it will cast a shadow over it.

6. Keep the seedling moist until it is well-established.

References

• Roadside Revegetation: Post Installation Care of Plant Materials
• Oregon State University Extension: The Care and Planting of Tree Seedlings on Your Woodland

Resources

• United States Department of Agriculture: Backyard Conservation: Tree Planting
• Arbor Day Foundation: History of Arbor Day