Watering:

-Water your tree religiously for at least one year using the following guidelines and subsequent years if we experience high heat or drought conditions.

-Make sure you are saturating the entire root ball and the soil area beyond. Be sure to water deep and DO NOT RELY ON SPRINKLER IRRIGATION! Please note that this is just a general watering guideline and if you have heavy clay soils it is very easy to overwater a tree and kill it.

-At the time of planting the tree needs to be deeply watered. Two days after planting the tree needs to be deeply watered again.  You can do this by turning on the hose and laying it inside the mulch reservoir, about six inches from the trunk, running it at a steady stream for about thirty minutes to an hour. If you have planted a larger tree, we recommend using a small sprinkler. Be sure to apply enough water to saturate the entire root ball and the soil area beyond.

Guidelines for Watering Your Tree for the First Year

-Clay and other poorly draining soils may not require as much water as indicated above. Overwatering or trees staying too wet can be as damaging as trees being too dry. The best way to check for soil moisture is to dig down under the mulch 3 or 4 inches and feel if the soil is moist.

Fertilization:

-We recommend an organic program for the long term health of your trees. Trees need to be fertilized each spring and fall with a balanced tree and shrub food.  Do not use tree fertilizer spikes.  We recommend using Ladybug Brand 8-2-4 granular fertilizer or Espoma Tree-tone granular fertilizer.

-1/8” topdressing of premium compost may be applied once a year in the spring or fall around the drip line of your tree.

-Chemical fertilizers may be used if desired. Follow package directions or ask us for application advice.

–Be sure to spread all fertilizers uniformly around the entire drip line of the tree. Do not concentrate the fertilizer around the trunk or inside the mulch reservoir. It is very important that you water all fertilizers and compost applications in well.

Mulching:

–Annual reapplication of mulch is recommended to maintain a 2-3” layer of mulch. We recommend a double grind shredded native hardwood mulch that has been aged for a minimum of a year.

Weed Control:

-NEVER USE WEED AND FEED TYPE FERTILIZERS OR BROADLEAF HERBICIDES in any areas near trees.

Staking and Deer Caging:

-Keep your trees staked for a minimum of one year. It is the customer’s responsibility to keep the tree staked tightly after planting.

-If you have deer, be sure to put a cage around your tree trunk to keep them from rubbing on the trunks.