Tree Sapling Care Guide

Thank you for celebrating our favorite day with us! We hope you enjoy your tree saplings — below is a care guide to give your tree(s) their best shot at living a long, beautiful life!

STEP 1
Identify Your Tree Sapling

First, let’s identify the tree sapling that you picked. Compare your sapling with the photos below to confirm the tree you have. Then review the details below to learn more about your sapling.

  • Scientific Name: Diospyros virginiana
    Mature Size: 35-60 ft tall x 20-35ft wide
    Growth Speed: Slow
    Sun Preference: Partial to Full Sun
    Notable Details: Yellow-ish orange fall foliage, orange persimmon fruit after first frost

  • Scientific Name: Nyssa sylvatica
    Mature Size: 30-50 ft tall x 20-30ft wide
    Growth Speed: Slow to Medium
    Sun Preference: Partial to Full Sun
    Notable Details: Yellow, orange, red, and purple fall foliage. Blue-ish black fruit in early fall.

  • Scientific Name: Quercus macrocarpa
    Mature Size: 70-80 ft tall x 70-80ft wide
    Growth Speed: Slow
    Sun Preference: Full Sun
    Notable Details: Acorns in early fall, yellow-ish brown fall foliage

  • Scientific Name: Cercis canadensis
    Mature Size: 20-30 ft tall x 25-35ft wide
    Growth Speed: Medium
    Sun Preference: Partial to Full Sun
    Notable Details: Pink flowers in spring

  • Scientific Name: Carya ovata
    Mature Size: 80-100 ft tall x 40-50 ft wide
    Growth Speed: Medium
    Sun Preference: Partial to Full Sun
    Notable Details: Brown nuts in the fall, gold fall foliage, shaggy bark

  • Scientific Name: Liriodendron tulipifera
    Mature Size: 60-90 ft tall x 30-50ft wide
    Growth Speed: Fast
    Sun Preference: Full Sun
    Notable Details: Yellow fall foliage, yellow flowers in spring


STEP 2
PLANT YOUR TREE SAPLING 

Click here to see a video on how to plant your tree sapling!

If you prefer a step-by-step text guide, this is for you:

  1. Soak your tree sapling in water for 5 to 7 minutes to thoroughly moisten the sapling’s root system. 

  2. Select your tree planting site. Avoid planting your sapling within 6 to 10 feet of any large obstructions such as mature trees or buildings. 

  3. Measure the sapling’s base of the root to its root flare to determine the depth of your hole. 

  4. Dig your hole! 

  5. Ensure that your hole is of the appropriate depth. To do so, place your sapling in the hole and ensure that the root flare is equal with the surrounding soil level. Do not cover or bury the root flare. It should be above ground level. 

  6. Make adjustments to the hole’s depth if necessary. 

  7. Fill in your hole with the dug-up soil. Lightly compact the soil as you begin to reach ground level. You can use your feet/shoes to compact the soil around the tree sapling. 
    Optional: Apply a 2 to 4 inch layer of wood chip mulch in a circle around the tree sapling, approximately 1 to 2 feet in diameter. 

  8. Lightly water the soil (or mulch) around your tree to bring moisture back into the surrounding ground. This is especially important when planting saplings in dry conditions. 

  9. Take a picture and tag @RussellTreeExperts on social media! (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, or LinkedIn) You are now finished planting your tree sapling! 

STEP 3
Care & Maintain

The first five years of a tree sapling’s life are critical for its long-term health and survival. The biggest threats are drought stress, resource competition from nearby grass, weeds, plants, and/or other trees, and physical damage from lawnmowers, dogs, deer, and severe winds.  

Best watering practices will vary from tree to tree and planting site to planting site. Below are some good, general rules of thumb:

  1. Slower, deeper, and longer irrigation, such as using a slow-trickling watering hose, is preferred over a short watering duration, such as splashing a bucket of water on the tree, so that the surrounding soil can absorb the water and minimize water runoff and flooding the tree’s root system. 

  2. The best watering times are in the early morning or early evening to minimize evaporation in the daytime and to minimize the risk of foliar disease overnight. 

  3. Water volume can vary drastically, but 1 to 2 gallons of water per inch of trunk diameter can yield good results. 

  4. Your tree sapling can be watered every 1 to 3 days depending on weather conditions. Every day may be needed in the summer with a tree sapling planted in full sun during a week of high temperatures and no rain. Every 3 days may be okay during cooler temperatures, a shaded planting site, or if rainfall occurs during the few-day stretch. 

To protect your tree sapling from physical damage, one or more preventative measures could be performed: 

  1. Install a mulch ring to discourage lawnmowers, pets, and foot traffic 

  2. Stake the tree to provide additional support during high winds. The staking should not and does not need to be kept on the tree year-round. 

  3. Install a deer fence or snow fence around the tree to discourage pets and deer. 

  4. Install a loose, corrugated tree guard around the sapling’s trunk to minimize trunk


Additional Information

How to Create a Tree Mulch Ring: https://www.russelltreeexperts.com/arbor-ed/how-to-mulch-a-tree-ring-with-crisp-edges 

Best Tree Watering Practices: https://www.russelltreeexperts.com/arbor-ed/2020/8/12/watering-best-practice