Gail Keeler, Master Gardener, Monroe County Extension Service
Some trees, even though they
are sun loving, may have been raised in a shaded nursery.
If so, gradually move the tree into more sunlight over a period of
several weeks before planting.
Provide the widest hole you can
for the tree, no less than three feet in diameter and 12” deep.
For a large tree, try to make the hole four to five feet across.
Screen large rocks from the planting hole.
Set the root ball in so the top of it is an inch or two above the soil
surface. It is imperative that
trees not be planted any deeper than in the original container.
Do NOT place any soil on top of the root ball. Backfill hole with the original soil. No amendments are needed.
If the soil is quite shallow,
you may want to mound it to get the needed depth.
Mulch only up to the edge of
the root ball, not on top of it. Make
sure there are no air pockets in the soil by gently pushing the water hose into
the soil while watering.
The University of Florida does
not recommend amending the indigenous soil.
Roots that grow in “improved” soil my resist penetrating the poorer
existing soil outside the planting hole, thereby essentially growing in a large
container that restricts development.
Mulch should not be taken right
up to the trunk and, research has shown, should not even cover the root ball
except at the edges.
For more information on
planting trees, see http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/treecare.htm.
Additional information is available from the University of Florida/IFAS/Monroe County Extension Office, 1100 Simonton Street, Suite 2-260, Key West, FL 33040; phone 305-292-4501; fax 305-292-4415; or e-mail monroe@ifas.ufl.edu. Our services are free and available to all without regard to race, color, sex, or national origin.