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Why You Should Plant a Tree This Spring. Plus, Six Mistakes to Avoid

Arbor Day

By Naturalist and Photographer, Sharon Mammoser 

Happy Arbor Day! It’s a fabulous time to plant a tree or two, and to celebrate the trees we already have.  

Have you ever reached your arms around a tree and rested your chin against its bark, looking up into the canopy and wondering what things this tree has faced and overcome? Imagine the wind, rain, lightning, snow, sleet, drought and floods the tree may have dealt with. And what about the animals who may have used the tree– the birds who have nested, and rested, and hunted in its branches, the squirrels, raccoons, opossums and other animals who may have taken refuge high above the forest floor, the caterpillars who may have dined on its leaves and maybe even the young bears who may have climbed its sturdy trunk. Think of what stories that tree would have to tell, and the lessons we could learn about perseverance, and overcoming adversity!  

There’s a Chinese proverb that says, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” This reminds us that it’s never too late to start making a difference and that by planting a tree now, we are investing in a healthy ecosystem and a brighter future.  

Tree Planting Spring

Western North Carolina lost thousands of trees from Hurricane Helene. According to Asheville Watchdog, in Buncombe County alone, “40% of trees were damaged. 822,000 aces of timber were damaged by heavy winds, landslides and flooding.” Landscapes changed overnight. It may not always seem obvious, but healthy trees are essential to healthy ecosystems and provide us many free services including absorbing carbon dioxide and filtering the air we breathe. Their extensive root systems anchor the soil and prevent erosion. Trees have an important role in the water cycle, absorbing water and filtering it before it reaches lakes, rivers and oceans. Tree roots act like a sponge, reducing the risk of flooding. In addition, trees provide habitat for countless animals, increasing biodiversity across many species. Many native trees, like our oaks are especially important host plants for over 500 species of caterpillars. Know why that matters? Because caterpillars are the most important animals in transferring energy from plants to terrestrial food webs. Love birds? Then you should know that 96% of our songbirds require insects–and especially caterpillars– when feeding their babies. We need trees!  

Tree Planting Spring
Many caterpillars, including these Spiny oakworm moth caterpillars feed on oak.

Spring is a great time for planting and there are many tree species to choose from. The BEST species you could add to your yard is an OAK, and there are many native species that can match your preferences and requirements. Find the species that’s right for you at HomeGrownNationalPark.org.  

Some great SMALL trees for small spaces include:  

  1. Dwarf Chinkapin Oak (Quercus prinoides) Height: 13 – 20 ft Spread: 10 – 15 ft 
  2. Smooth Alder (Alnus serrulata) Height: 10 – 20 ft Spread: 8 – 15 ft 
  3. Allegheny Service Berry (Amelanchier laevis) Height: 15-40 ft., Spread: 15-20 ft.  
  4.  Dogwood (Amelanchier laevis) Height: 15-30 feet, Spread 15-30 feet. 
  5. Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) Height: 20-30 feet, Spread 25-35 feet 
  6. Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) Height: 20 – 30 ft Spread: 15 – 20 ft 
Tree planting arbor day
Redbud Tree.

Some great LARGE trees for bigger yards: 

  1. White oak (Quercus alba) Height: 50 – 80 ft Spread: 50 – 80 ft 
  2. Black oak (Quercus velutina) Height: 50 – 60 ft Spread: 50 – 60 ft 
  3. Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) Height: 50 – 80 ft Spread: 30 – 60 ft 
  4. Red Maple (Acer rubrum) Height: 40 – 70 ft Spread: 30 – 50 ft 
  5. Black willow (Salix nigra) Height: 30 – 60 ft Spread: 30 – 60 ft 

Now, time for planting your tree! If you drive around, you will see many, many trees planted incorrectly. It’s easy to understand why the average homeowner would look at these other planted trees and mimic what’s “out in the world.” But in doing so, you’d be making a big mistake.  

Here are 6 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Planting a Tree: 

  1. Resist the mulch volcano! This is a very common practice, but is incorrect and should be avoided at all costs. When mulch is piled against the tree trunk in a giant volcano, it can cause all kinds of problems, leading to a sick or even dead tree. The mulch can hold moisture against the tree’s trunk, causing it to break down, and rot, or introduce fungus, bacteria and other pathogens that are bad for the tree. According to PennState Extension, “Too much mulch also blocks the roots from getting sufficient oxygen, and if the underlying soil remains too wet for too long a time, the roots begin to rot. It can also cause the tree to develop adventitious roots – those growing from trunk tissue, rather than true root tissue. As they grow in diameter, they can develop into girdling roots, further restricting the tree’s ability to transport water.” When the weather is hot and the mulch dries out, the mulch can actually become hydrophobic, repelling water and cheating the tree of rain. The mulch volcano is not good for the health of the tree! Mulch around the tree isn’t a bad thing, just make sure it is at least 3 inches from the trunk of the tree, and not more than 3 inches thick. The mulch should never be touching the tree! 
  2. Don’t bury the root crown/root collar/trunk flare. All trees have a root crown (also called a root collar or trunk flare) from which the trunk emerges. You can clearly see this– it’s where the trunk of the tree starts and the roots begin. When planting a tree, this root crown should not be buried. Burying the root crown is unhealthy for the tree and may lead to decay and an early death. The roots of a tree and the trunk are actually quite different. PennState Extension says, “When trunk wood is buried in soils or mulches, it remains wet (or moist) which impacts or disrupts the exchange of gasses (oxygen and carbon dioxide) that are required to keep the phloem alive. The phloem is the plant tissue found just under the bark used to transport food made in the leaves to other parts of the tree (including the roots). Over time, a buried stem (trunk flare) will begin to die and decay fungi will move in. This dieback inhibits the translocation of food and other materials, and tree hormones communicating within the tree are impacted, causing the tree to not harden off in preparation for the cold temperatures of winter. This will be followed by crown winter injury.” Set your tree up for success by putting trees so the TOP of the root collar sits above the soil level and the flare of the roots sits just below soil. 
  3. Correct containerized roots before planting. Sometimes trees at nurseries have been in their pots a long time, causing the roots to grow in a circle, around and around the tree. If you buy a tree and just stick it in the ground this way, the roots will continue to grow in the same direction–around and around. They can often girdle the tree, causing it to get less nutrients or even die. So, next time, before just setting the tree in the ground, fix the roots first. PennExtension says, “This could include removing soils from the top of the root ball once the tree is placed a bit higher in the planting hole or shaving the sides of roots in a container grown tree (or shrub). Don’t be afraid to cut roots on a container grown tree. They will not be harmed if we remove some roots, especially if we are correcting problems that will later kill the tree.” Roots will not change direction, they’ll just continue to go round and round, unless you free them before setting the tree into the hole!
  4. Don’t skimp on the hole. There’s a saying that says something like “Don’t plant a $100 tree in a 10 cent hole. You used your hard-earned money to buy a great tree– now make sure you don’t skimp when digging the hole. Dig a hole that’s at least three times the width of the rootball and about one inch deeper than the starter tree’s root system. You want the tree’s roots to have an easy time getting started in all directions. It’s important that the tree set down a sturdy root system, as this will anchor it in place its entire life. 
  5. Don’t over-improve the soil in the hole. Sometimes people think that they need to add a ton of fertilizer or other nutrients to the hole they just dug before setting the tree in it, but this can backfire. It can cause the roots to circle in the “good stuff,” rather than moving out into the surrounding soil and can cause rain water to accumulate there, keeping the roots constantly wet, instead of seeping into the dirt. A little compost is fine, just don’t overdo it.  
  6. Don’t skimp on water for the first year. New trees need a good start. Watering two times each week for a year is a good rule of thumb–unless Mother Nature provided a lot of rain that week. Don’t water so much that the soil around the tree is soggy. 

arbor day tree planting

Good luck with your trees! Think what a difference we could make in local ecosystems if we all added just a handful of trees in our yards 

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