The best time to plant trees is usually when they are dormant or when they are growing very little. This allows the roots time to develop so they can properly support the tree. People often make the mistake of fertilizing the tree when it is planted. Never fertilize a tree immediately after planting it. December, January and February are excellent months to plant trees. Deciduous trees are leafless this time of the year, so when you go to the nursery to make your selection, expect to see bare branches. Don’t be afraid to purchase and plant these trees. Their dormancy makes this a great time to get them into the ground. Evergreen species will, of course, have foliage.

If planting a large tree around the home, remember to consider the importance of planting the tree so it will help to save money on the home’s heating or cooling costs. A deciduous tree planted on the eastern or western side of the home will help to shade the home during the hot days of summer and will reduce the cost of cooling the home! Decisions involving the selection and placement of trees in your landscape are some of the most important you will make. No other plants can create the major problems that poorly selected or improperly placed trees may cause. The most common mistakes include planting too many trees, planting trees that grow too large for the site, planting trees that aren’t well adapted to Louisiana and planting trees too close to a house or structure.

Remember the trees you plant will grow much larger than the saplings you purchase and bring home from the nursery. Cutting down a tree is never an easy decision, so it is better not to put yourself, or someone else who owns the property later, in that situation.

To get a feel for how well a tree will fit in the spot you have selected:

• Drive a stake into the ground where you intend to plant the tree.

• Find out the expected spread of the branches of the mature tree. Check with your LSU AgCenter County Agent, or visit the LSU Ag Center website at lsuagcenter.com.

• Divide the expected spread by two. Next, cut a piece of string or rope that many feet long. If, for instance, the expected spread is 40 feet, cut a piece of string 20 feet long.

• Tie one end of the string to the stake, stretch out the string to its full length, and walk in a circle around the stake. This will show the area the tree will cover.

• That will give you an excellent idea if the tree is the right size for the location. If more than one tree will be planted in an area, do this procedure for each tree.

When planting a tree, dig the hole at least twice the diameter of the root ball and no deeper than the height of the root ball. Remove the tree from the container and place the tree gently onto the firm, undisturbed soil in the bottom of the hole. A root ball that’s tightly packed with thick, encircling roots indicates a root-bound condition. Try to unwrap the root ball to encourage the roots to spread into the surrounding soil. Set a balled-and-burlap wrapped tree into the hole with the burlap in place. Once the tree is in the hole, remove any nylon twine or wire that may have been used, and fold down the burlap from the top of the root ball. Remove synthetic burlap completely – check with nursery staff when you purchase the tree to determine if the burlap is synthetic. The top of the root ball should be level with or slightly above the surrounding soil. It is critical that you do not plant the tree too deep. Break up the soil dug out from the hole and use this soil, without any additions, to backfill around the tree. Research shows adding amendments such as peat moss or compost into the soil slows establishment. As a tree grows, its roots will grow out well beyond the reach of its branches. Since the roots will spend most of the tree’s life growing in native soil, they might as well get used to it from the beginning. Add soil around the tree until the hole is half full. Then firm the soil to eliminate air pockets, but do not pack it tightly. Finish filling the hole, firm again, and then water the tree thoroughly to settle it in. Watering also helps to remove from the soil any air pockets that would aid in the decay of the roots.

Generally, we do not add fertilizer to the planting hole. Fertilizer will cause the upper portion of the tree to grow faster than the roots, and when the tree uses up the fertilizer, the roots are not developed enough to continue feeding the tree, and the tree may die. I usually recommend that homeowners wait 2-3 months before they fertilize a newly planted tree. This will usually give the roots enough time to properly develop. A tree planted during the late spring or summer should possibly not be fertilized at all except maybe with a small amount of slow-release fertilizer. A slow-release fertilizer disperses the nutrients over several months. The use of a root stimulator solution is optional.

Stake the tree properly if it is tall enough to be unstable. Otherwise, staking isn’t necessary. Don’t leave the support stakes in place for more than 9 to 12 months. Use ties made especially for holding trees as regular rope will damage the bark. Use material that will flex as the tree moves so the bark is not damaged. Keep the area at the base of the tree free from weeds and grasses. A glyphosate product may be used as long as it is not applied to the leaves. This allows the tree to grow faster by eliminating competition from grasses and weeds. Never use weed eaters around any ornamental shrubs or trees. Weed eater damage to the outer layer of the tree may prevent the tree from up taking its food, and the tree will become stunted and possibly die.

For more information on the selection, planting and growing of trees, go to the LSU Ag Center’s website, lsuagcenter.com. You may also contact your local county agent.

If you have any questions, please contact your local LSU Ag Center County Agent. You can contact David Pichon, County Agent-St. John Parish at 985-497-3261 or by email at dpichon@agctr.lsu.edu.