Dig It!
Planting a tree or shrub is more than just digging a hole and putting it in the ground. Make sure you take the proper steps to assist your plant’s health in the future.
First, make sure the site conditions fit the growing requirements for your plant. Plants grow in different climate zones – Lincoln, NE is zone 5. Also, are you planting in sun or shade? An area that floods or well drained soil? What is the quality of the soil? These are things to consider long before purchasing a plant or digging your first shovel full.
When the site conditions are figured out, then it’s time to plant. Planting depth is a very important thing to remember. Don’t plant any deeper than how it’s planted in the container. Trees and plants will decline over time and may eventually die if planted to deep. Generally speaking, you want the crown of the plant (where the trunk or branches connect to the roots) to be planted at, or above the soil grade level. Burying the crown of the plant may cause the tree or shrub to decline over time.
If planting a container tree or shrub, you can score, or cut, a few roots to open up and feather out the root ball. This helps with minimizing girdling roots and future growth of roots. Also, if you are amending the soil around the root ball with compost or other amendments, make sure half of it is native soil to help the plant acclimate to its new environment.
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