How to Plant a Tree the Right Way: 7 Mistakes to Avoid

How Big Should the Hole Be When Planting a Tree?

Dig the hole 2-3 times wider than the root ball's diameter, but only as deep as the root ball itself, never deeper. The most common tree-planting mistake happens before the tree even touches the ground: a hole that's too narrow, too deep, or shaped like a straight-sided bucket.

A hole with vertical sides and compacted walls makes it hard for roots to push outward into the surrounding soil, so they end up circling back on themselves instead of spreading. The right shape is wide and shallow, almost like a saucer. Roughen the sides with a shovel or hard rake so roots can grab onto the surrounding soil instead of hitting a smooth wall.

If your yard has heavy clay soil, this matters even more. A too-deep hole in clay can act like a bathtub, holding water around the roots and leading to rot. If you're not sure what kind of soil you have, the basics of how to prepare garden soil include a simple way to check it.

How Deep Should You Plant a Tree?

Plant so the root flare, the point where the trunk widens into the first structural roots, ends up at or 1-2 inches above the surrounding grade after settling. Burying the flare is common enough to call out on its own.

On many nursery trees, especially container-grown ones, the flare is already buried a few inches under extra soil. If you use the top of that soil as your guide, the tree ends up several inches too deep. Over time this can cause girdling roots, trunk rot at the base and a stressed tree that never quite thrives, problems that often don't show up for several years.

Before planting, brush away soil from the top of the root ball until you can actually see the flare, and use that point, not the top of the nursery soil, to judge depth.

Leaving Wire Baskets, Burlap or Circling Roots in Place

It's tempting to lower a balled-and-burlapped tree straight into the hole and skip dealing with the wrapping, especially with a heavy root ball.

But wire baskets and twine don't reliably break down on their own, and burlap that isn't fully removed can restrict root growth for years. Roots that hit a wire ring or tight burlap layer often start circling instead of spreading outward.

Cut away as much of the wire basket as you can once the tree is positioned in the hole, remove any twine from around the trunk, and pull back or cut away burlap so it isn't touching the root ball once backfilled. For container-grown trees, slide the tree out and look for roots circling the inside of the pot. Score them vertically in 3-4 places with a clean knife, or gently pull them straight, before planting.

Skipping this step is one of the biggest reasons trees develop girdling roots, which slowly strangle the trunk from underground and can weaken or kill an otherwise healthy tree years later.

When Is the Best Time to Plant a Tree?

Early spring before buds break, and fall roughly 6-8 weeks before the ground typically freezes in your area, are the best windows for most trees. Both give roots time to establish in mild soil temperatures without the stress of summer heat or a hard freeze right after planting.

A tree planted in a summer heat wave has to deal with heat stress and rebuilding its root system at the same time, which is a lot to ask right after transplanting.

Container-grown trees give you more flexibility than bare-root or balled-and-burlapped trees, but the same logic applies: avoid the hottest and coldest weeks when possible. If a tree arrives at the wrong time, it's usually better to keep it in its container in a shaded spot and water it regularly until conditions improve.

Ignoring Where the Tree Will End Up at Full Size

A young tree in a five-gallon container gives almost no hint of how large it will become, which makes it easy to plant too close to the house, a fence, a patio or underground utility lines.

Before planting, look up the tree's mature height and canopy spread. Think about what will be directly above it, such as power lines and roof overhangs, and what its roots will eventually reach. As a general guide, keep large shade trees at least 15-20 feet from your home's foundation; our guide to landscaping around your house covers the full set of clearances. Always call 811 a few days before digging so you know where underground lines run.

If you're still choosing a species, compare sizes and growing needs in our list of the best trees for your backyard. It's far easier to choose the right spot once than to remove an established tree that outgrew it.

Burying the Trunk in a Mulch Volcano

Mulch is useful around a newly planted tree. It holds moisture, moderates soil temperature and keeps mower and trimmer damage away from the trunk.

The problem is how often it gets piled directly against the bark in a tall cone, sometimes called a "mulch volcano." Mulch touching the trunk traps moisture against the bark, which can lead to rot, invites pests, and can encourage roots to grow up into the mulch instead of down into the soil.

Spread mulch in a wide, flat ring 2-3 inches deep, extending at least to the edge of the original planting hole, and keep a gap of about 3 inches between the mulch and the trunk. Done correctly, it should look more like a donut than a volcano.

Watering Only for the First Few Weeks

A new tree gets a lot of attention right after planting, then watering often tapers off once it looks established, which is usually far too soon.

A newly planted tree's roots haven't spread into the surrounding soil yet, even if the top growth looks healthy. That typically takes a full growing season, sometimes longer for larger trees.

For the first few months, water deeply two to three times a week, giving the root zone roughly 10-15 gallons each time for a young tree, more for a larger balled-and-burlapped specimen. After that, taper to about once a week through the rest of the first growing season, adjusting for rainfall.

Check soil moisture a few inches down near the root ball rather than watering on a fixed schedule. Underwatering during that first year is one of the most common reasons an otherwise healthy new tree fails to establish.