Tree Planting Tips from Torrey Pines Landscape Company

Rancho Santa Fe

We have been planting trees in the San Diego area since 1983 & here are a few tips to ensure that the trees not only survive but thrive.
1. Timing. Generally autumn or early spring are ideal. Palms and tropicals are ideally planted in the summer. Deciduous trees plant best when they are dormant in the cooler months.
2. Choose the right tree for the right area. Research with Sunset's Western Garden Book or a landscape design company.
3. Select a healthy specimen. Avoid ones with scarred trunks and broken or cracked limbs.
4. Successful planting relies on digging a hole that is the proper depth (the crown of the root ball should sit an inch above the surrounding ground) and width (2.5 times the width of the root ball).
5. The back-fill depends on the type of tree that's planted. An avocado tree does better with only natural backfill whereas a magnolia prefers a blend of soil that was excavated with added amendments
6. The first year of any transplanted trees life is critical. It will need regular slow deep watering until the roots are established. Use ariation tubes, especially for larger specimens,  for deep watering and feeding.
7. Check the warranty & reputation of your tree installer
8. A wonderful reference book, or "Owners Manual", is Ornamental Trees for Mediterranean Climates (the trees of San Diego) by Steve Brigham & Don Walker

from the office of Torrey Pines Landscape Company
858-454-1433
www.tplandscape.com