By Enrique Arayata
ISA Certified Arborist® OH-7252A
May 29, 2025
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We’re in the middle of the growing season, which means tree planting time! There are generally 3 commonly sized trees: Tree saplings, container trees, and balled-and-burlapped trees! In today’s article we’ll be discussing how to best plant each of these 3 tree types. With the focus being on installation, we’re not going in-depth on tree selection, planting site selection, or post-installation watering, maintenance, and protection, but articles written by my fellow coworkers and ISA Certified Arborists® on all these supplemental topics will be linked further in this article!
The first 3 steps for planting any type of tree that I’ll briefly acknowledge but skip past will be to:
SELECT YOUR TREE PLANTING SITE! -> [More Info]
SELECT A TREE THAT’S COMPATIBLE WITH YOUR SELECTED PLANTING SITE!
NOTIFY YOUR LOCAL UTILITY PROTECTION SERVICE! Call before you dig! It might feel like an unnecessary hassle to begin with, but it’s free and a significantly smaller headache compared to hitting an underground line. In Ohio, it’s OUPS and can be contacted by visiting oups.org. Nationally, you can call 811 to speak with your local utility protection service company! -> [More Info]
Since a tree sapling’s root system is so small, bare root trees are the smallest, cheapest, and easiest trees to purchase and plant! Another benefit is that they will establish their roots to the planting site easier than a container or balled-and-burlapped tree, making it less susceptible to leaning or falling over during high winds compared to the other 2 tree types. Some disadvantages to consider are that it will take more time to reach full maturity, and they are harder to spot by a distracted lawn mower operator. Somehow both my dad and my uncle mowed over a tree sapling by accident.
Steps
SOAK YOUR TREE! Soak your tree sapling in water for 5-7 minutes to thoroughly moisten the sapling’s root system.
DETERMINE YOUR HOLE SIZE! Measure the sapling’s base of the root to its root flare (meeting point between the roots and the trunk) to determine the depth of your hole.
DIG YOUR HOLE! Your tree hole needs to only be as deep as the measurement between the root flare and bottom of the tree sapling’s roots. Regarding width, a 1 feet diameter circle is more than enough.
DOUBLE CHECK YOUR MEASUREMENTS! Double check your hole’s depth and width! Adjust if necessary. To test this, place your sapling in the hole and ensure that the root flare is equal to the surrounding soil level. Do not cover or bury the root flare. It should be above ground level.
PLACE YOUR TREE IN THE HOLE! Make sure the tree is straight and not leaning. Ensure that the root flare is visible at or slightly above ground level.
BACKFILL THE SOIL! Place the dug-up soil back into the hole. 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. Optionally, a 2-4 inch layer of organic wood chip mulch is recommended for numerous reasons such as increased water retention, minimizing temperature fluctuations, increased trunk protection, having less grass to mow, and subjectively, improved aesthetics and curb appeal.
WATER THE TREE! Lightly water the soil (or mulch) around your tree to add moisture back into the surrounding ground. This is especially important when planting saplings in dry or summer-like conditions.
AND... DONE! Voila, your tree sapling has been installed!
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STEPS
DETERMINE THE SIZE OF YOUR HOLE! The hole should be a few inches wider than the tree’s pot, but 1-4 inches shallower than the height of the soil in the tree’s pot. This height difference is because it’s very common for a tree’s root flare (the boundary between the root and the trunk) to be buried in a nursery pot, which is no good. This will be addressed in an upcoming step. The overall shape of the hole should be half of a sphere with its deepest portion being in the middle.
DIG YOUR HOLE! If you’re digging next to grass and you care about your lawn, I would recommend placing your dug-up grass in a wheelbarrow or on a tarp.
DOUBLE CHECK YOUR MEASUREMENTS! Once you’re done digging, double check your work! Again, the hole should be a few inches wider than the tree’s pot, and the depth should be 1-4 inches below the soil’s height. Make adjustments if necessary.
Many of my fellow ISA Certified Arborists®, including myself, like to plant trees 1-3 inches above the surrounding ground level as trees commonly settle over the next couple of years. This is to also ensure that the root flare is exposed and not buried, which can cause stem girdling roots.
SLICE THE ROOT BALL 4 TIMES! Take the tree out from the pot and slide 4 straight, evenly distributed lines across the root ball every 90 degrees. This will break up and loosen both the dirt and roots which will help minimize the risk of stem girdling roots and encourage outward growth. Optionally, you can also clean up and remove any small or entangled surface roots.
TEST FIT YOUR TREE! Place your tree in the hole! Triple check that the hole’s shape, depth, width, and height is adequate. As mentioned earlier, if the root flare is 1-3 inches above ground level, this is perfectly fine as the soil will likely settle over time. Make adjustments if needed.
BACKFILL YOUR HOLE! It’s perfectly fine to use the existing, dug-up soil, but optionally, you can mix the dirt with a soil amendment like compost, manure, or topsoil in a 1:1 ratio to add more nutrients into the ground. If you want to save yourself some future weeding, I strongly recommend taking the time to remove any grass from the dug-up soil. As you’re backfilling, break up any chunks of dirt to obtain a fine, porous texture to improve water infiltration and gas exchange. Additionally, observe the tree’s lean or lack thereof to ensure that it is still straight and plumb. The tree can easily lean during the backfilling process. Compact the soil every couple of inches with your hands or feet to eliminate any large air pockets. You want to aim for a compaction level between large air pockets that you can hide your penny collection in, and construction-grade compacted soil where little air and water can transfer through.
I strongly recommend adding a 2-4 inch layer of organic wood chip mulch in a ring around the tree. The mulch should match the surrounding grade and not be piled into a mound or volcano-like shape. The radius can be as small as 2 feet wide or as wide as the canopy drip line (the farthest point that leaves or branches extend out to). There are numerous benefits such as reducing the risk of stem girdling roots, less resource competition with nearby grass and above-ground plants, increased water retention, minimizing trunk damage, soil decompaction, and subjectively, increased visual aesthetics and curb appeal.
WATER THE SOIL! You want the soil (or mulch) to be dark brown and saturated with water. Avoid any sitting or pooling water.
PRUNE YOUR TREE! Perform a few, minor pruning cuts. Look for any branches that are rubbing, crossing, or dead and prune them back to the base of a union.
REMOVE TAGS! If there are any tags on the tree and you haven’t removed them already, now’s the time to take them out!
AND VOILA, DONE! Congratulations, your new tree is now installed!
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STEPS
DETERMINE THE SIZE OF YOUR TREE HOLE! Measure your tree so you can determine the size of your hole. For a balled-and-burlapped tree, the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) recommends a hole diameter 1.5 to 2 times larger than the diameter of the root ball. So, if for example your root ball is 3 feet wide, then a hole diameter of 4.5 to 6 feet is recommended. Regarding hole depth, it should be approximately as deep as the root flare of your tree. It is important to note that many balled-and-burlapped trees are already too deep within their own root ball and wire cage. Do not assume that the top of the root ball is the trunk flare. My experience is that more often than not, I have to remove a few inches of soil from above the trunk flare at the time of planting. Many of my fellow ISA Certified Arborist® coworkers and myself like to even plant the tree with the root flare 1-3 inches above ground level to compensate for the soil settling over time. The worst outcome would be for the root flare to be buried and/or below ground level. If the trunk flare is below grade, the tree will be planted too deep and will be more prone to stem girdling roots, reduced vigor, and will become more vulnerable to pests and disease. It is perfectly acceptable if the root flare is slightly above ground level and not perfectly in line with the surrounding grade.
DIG YOUR HOLE! This is definitely the most laborious step, so make sure you have water nearby and you take breaks as needed! Have a game plan for what to do with any dug-up soil and grass. One idea could be to place the top portion of grass into a yard waste bag and place the below-ground soil on a tarp or wheelbarrow. The nearby grassy lawn will thank you for not placing dirt directly on top of it.
DOUBLE CHECK YOUR WORK! Once you’re done digging, double check your measurements! Again, the hole should be 1.5 to 2 times wider than the root ball’s diameter and the depth in the center should be the measurement from the bottom of the root ball to the tree’s root flare. You can be 1 to 3 inches below this measurement in order to ensure that the tree is planted with or slightly above the surrounding grade. Make adjustments to your hole if needed.
TEST FIT YOUR TREE! Place your tree in the center of the hole. Make sure it’s stable before letting go and taking a step back. You can backfill a tiny portion of soil and tamp it against the root ball with your feet. Trust me, I’ve seen a few trees fall down and have broken limbs during this step. After the tree is standing upright in the hole, verify it is positioned correctly: centered, upright and plumb, and at a height where the trunk flare is at or slightly above the surrounding grade. Make adjustments to your hole if necessary. You may or may not have to take the tree of out of the hole.
STABLIZE YOUR TREE! If you’re satisfied with the general shape of your hole and with the general placement of your tree, stabilize your tree a little more to prepare for the next step. Backfill some of the dug-up soil to the bottom of the root ball and tamp it down with your feet once more until the tree feels relatively secure and in-place. The tree may move during this, so when you’re finished, triple check your work and make adjustments if necessary.
REMOVE THE TWINE, TOP 1/3 OF BURLAP, AND TOP 1/3 OF WIRE CAGE. Remove the twine around the trunk, remove the top third of the burlap and remove the top third (approximately) of the wire cage. The purpose of removing these materials is to prevent damage to the trunk and buttress roots as they grow over time. Removing the twine, burlap and wire cage is the subject of much debate amongst landscape contractors, tree producers, and arborists. In an effort to be brief, my recommendation to remove the top third of the wire cage, the exposed burlap (approximately the top third), and the twine is a balance between ensuring root ball stability, new tree survivability, and planning for the long term health of the tree over the next hundred years. There may be some instances, like planting new evergreen trees in exposed/windy sites where it may be acceptable to leave the entire wire cage, burlap and twine intact for one full growing season before returning to remove it later. You will likely need some type of wire cutter or saw to remove a portion of the wire cage, so be sure to wear proper PPE including safety glasses and gloves! This step is also an annoying opportunity for the tree to shift around, so quadruple check the tree’s placement and make adjustments if necessary once you are done!
Optional: If you’re planting a tree in summer or drought-like conditions, I would recommend watering the hole to add moisture back into the soil. You only need to add enough water to turn the soil dark brown, avoid any pools of water.
BACKFILL THE SOIL! You can use only the dug-up soil if you’d like, but you can also optionally mix in a 1:1 ratio of dug-up soil and soil amendments such as compost, manure, or topsoil. It’s your choice and the level of necessity will vary from planting site to planting site. If you want to reduce resource competition for the tree and save yourself some weeding, you can filter out any grass you find during this process. As you’re backfilling, lightly tamp the soil to remove air pockets with your hands or feet but be careful not to overly compact soil as pore space is needed for water and oxygen. You don’t want air pockets where you can hide your penny collection, but you also don’t want construction-grade compacted soil.
MULCH AROUND THE TREE! Apply a 2-4 inch layer of organic wood chip mulch in a circular ring around the trunk of the tree. The width can vary from options such as 1 foot wide, as wide as the dug-up grass, or as wide as the canopy drip line of the tree (the farthest point that leaves or branches extend out to). Avoid covering the root flare of the tree. The mulch should match the surrounding grade of the planting site and not be mounded up in the shape of a volcano. Mulch does a great job of retaining moisture around newly planted trees in addition to reducing competition from weeds, regulating soil temperatures, reducing soil compaction and adding nutrients to the soil. Linked is my previous ARBOR ED™ article on how to create a tree mulch ring including all of its benefits!
WATER AROUND YOUR TREE! Watering a newly planted tree correctly is as important as selecting the right tree. Watering is the single most important maintenance factor in the establishment and success of planting a new tree. The best way to water a tree is slowly and deeply so that water is trickling down into the root ball of the tree and not washing away into the lawn. A newly planted balled-and-burlapped tree should be watered at the time of planting and then once a week until temperatures are consistently below freezing. Watering in this same fashion should resume when the tree breaks dormancy and leafs out the following spring. It generally takes 2 - 3 growing seasons before a balled-and-burlapped tree is established and can fend for its own water. Establishment could take longer with larger trees. For more information on watering, see my coworker, ISA Board Certified Master Arborist® TJ Nagel’s ARBOR ED™ article on proper tree watering!
PRUNE YOUR TREE! If a tree could only be pruned once in its life, pruning at planting is the time to do so. The overall goal of pruning at planting is to improve the structure of the canopy, to remove crossing and broken limbs, or to reduce/remove upright limbs that might be competing to be the central dominant leader. Note: It is equally important not to over-prune a newly planted tree, as having the appropriate amount of leaf area in the canopy next season is essential to maintaining good health and vigor.
REMOVE TAGS AND ENJOY YOUR TREE! Your new tree is now planted! Enjoy it! If there are any tags on the tree and you have not already removed them, you can remove them now!
OPTIONAL: PROTECT YOUR TREE! Protect your tree from mechanical damage. This step may not be necessary for every newly planted tree. If you live in an urban area without deer and have large, generous planting beds free of turf, you can likely skip this step. When planting in rural areas, TJ often recommends using some sort of deer protection to protect the trunk of trees until they have surpassed 8-10 inches in diameter. You can use a 4-foot-tall wire fencing cut into a 7-8-foot length and then then wrap it around the tree. In addition to protecting the trunk, the fencing also makes it more difficult for deer to feed on lower limbs. Trunk guards or corrugated drainpipe can also work to protect tree trunks, but they must be removed before the heat and humidity of the summer. I also recommend trunk protection for folks that have trees in areas where turf is tightly managed with large, fast-moving mowers and string trimmers.
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In Conclusion…
Now that your tree has been planted, the next, most important step will be to properly water it! Watering can vary drastically based on tree size and season. If I had to best explain it in 1 sentence, it would be to water a tree slowly through some type of drip irrigation system (such as a tree watering bag, low pressure hose, or watering bucket) in the morning or evening (to minimize evaporation) anywhere from every day to every other day (depending on the season and amount of sunlight the tree receives daily). Other maintenance recommendations that can be optional or highly recommended depending on the tree and planting site would be to create a tree mulch ring (if you have not done so already), add deer protection, and/or stake the tree! Below are articles on some of these mentioned topics!
ADDITIONAL ARBOR ED™ ARTICLES!
Enrique Arayata I Media Production Manager, Russell Tree Experts
Enrique is an ISA Certified Arborist® and FAA Certified Remote Pilot. In his free time, he enjoys working out, hanging out with his family and girlfriend, video production, photography, cars, technology, and cooking. Enrique has a BA in moving image production with a double minor in film studies and studio art specializing in photography from The Ohio State University, and an AA in web graphic design from DeVry University. His favorite tree is the Kwanzan cherry tree.