You picked the tree. You got it home. You dug the hole, planted it and stood back to admire your work.
Now what?
A newly planted tree needs a little extra help while it gets established, especially during that first year. But there’s also such a thing as doing too much. The goal isn’t to babysit your tree forever. It’s to give it what it needs now so it can eventually take care of itself.
In Episode 2 of The Dirt, Mary talks with Johanna George of Bailey Nurseries about what happens after you bring a tree home, from watering and staking to winter protection, fertilizer and those first several years in your yard.
Wondering how that tree got to the nursery in the first place? Learn how nursery trees are grown adn how old they are when you buy them in our first episode of The Dirt.
How Much Should You Water a Newly Planted Tree?
Water is one of the most important things your new tree needs, but more isn’t always better.
For a newly planted tree in North Iowa, the goal is roughly an inch of rainfall per week. Of course, Iowa weather doesn't always cooperate with our plans. We can go from a soaking-wet spring to weeks of hot, dry weather, so you can't rely on the calendar alone.
A good rule of thumb is to give a new tree one good soaking every seven to ten days when Mother Nature isn't providing enough rain.
Johanna recommends roughly seven to ten gallons of water every seven to ten days as an easy guideline. For smaller plants, another simple cheat sheet is to match the container size: a plant that came in a five-gallon container could get approximately five gallons of water every five days.
The important part is what happens between those waterings.
Your tree's roots need both moisture and air. If the soil stays constantly wet, those air spaces disappear. Allowing the soil to dry some between deep waterings encourages the roots to spread out and search for moisture, which is exactly what you want as the tree becomes established.
In other words, don't love your new tree to death with the garden hose.
Want the full conversation? Watch this episode of The Dirt below, or keep reading for more tips on caring for your new tree.
Should You Stake a Newly Planted Tree?
Here in North Iowa, wind is part of the deal, so some newly planted trees can benefit from staking.
The key is not to hold the tree completely rigid. A young tree should still be able to move naturally in a normal breeze. That movement helps it develop strength.
The stakes are there to provide extra support when those not-so-normal Iowa winds roll through.
A two-point staking system can work well, while a three-point system provides even more support. Just make sure the tree still has enough freedom to move.
Protect Your New Tree From Deer and Rabbits
Water and wind aren't the only things your new tree has to contend with. Deer, rabbits and rodents can do a surprising amount of damage to young trees.
Depending on the wildlife pressure in your yard, protection might include fencing around the tree or a tree guard around the trunk.
And don't forget about that protection when summer ends.
Young trees can remain vulnerable throughout winter, when other food sources become scarce and animals start getting a little less picky about what's on the menu.
How to Protect a Young Tree During an Iowa Winter
Winter protection isn't only about hungry rabbits.
Young trees, particularly those with smooth bark, can also be susceptible to winter injury and sunscald.
During late winter, the sun can warm the south and southwest side of a tree trunk during the day while the ground and roots remain frozen. Those temperature fluctuations can damage the bark and eventually leave visible cracks or sunscald.
Johanna recommends using a white or light-colored tree wrap on vulnerable young trees. One easy way to remember the timing is to “dress them up for Halloween” and remove the wrap in spring.
Don't be too quick to remove all protection, though. Rabbits and rodents may still be looking for food in early spring, so you may want to replace the winter wrap with a tree guard or other animal protection.
Smooth-barked trees such as young maples and many fruit trees can benefit from continued winter protection until their bark becomes rougher and develops more of its own natural defense.
What Happens After the First Year?
Your tree's first year requires the most attention, but that doesn't mean you completely forget about it the following spring.
During roughly years two through five, start letting Mother Nature do more of the work.
Keep an eye on rainfall and weather conditions rather than automatically watering on a schedule. If it's been hot and dry for 10 or 14 days, give your tree a good soaking. If you're getting consistent rain, you probably don't need to drag out the hose just because it's Tuesday.
Too much watering and “babysitting” during these years can work against the root development you're trying to encourage.
Continue watching for animal damage and protecting vulnerable trees during winter, but gradually let the tree become more independent.
And then comes the fun part.
Around years three, four and five, you may start seeing a big jump in growth. That's when the tree that looked a little small sitting in the middle of your yard suddenly starts looking like it belongs there.
Depending on the species, that tree could eventually be part of your landscape for decades or even generations.
Should You Fertilize a Newly Planted Tree?
This is one area where more definitely isn't better.
A newly planted tree generally does not need a full-strength, general-purpose fertilizer during its first year.
If you're going to fertilize at planting time, use a product specifically intended for new plants or root development. Johanna prefers a slower-acting organic granular product because it's less likely to burn tender roots or new growth.
And if you're choosing between too little and too much?
Too little wins.
It's generally better to skip fertilizer during that first year than to overdo it with a strong general fertilizer.
Timing matters, too. Johanna notes that nursery stock isn't fertilized after August 1. Fertilizing too late in the season can encourage fresh growth that doesn't have enough time to harden off before an Iowa winter arrives. That tender new growth can then die back.
If you've reached August without fertilizing, waiting until spring is usually the better move.
What Should You Do if Your Tree Trunk Cracks?
Seeing a crack or damaged area on the trunk of a young tree can be alarming, but it doesn't automatically mean you're losing the tree.
If the damage is limited to one side and the rest of the tree remains healthy, the tree can often recover.
And this is another situation where doing less may actually be better.
Rather than reaching for pruning paint, a bandage or something else to cover the wound, Johanna recommends allowing the tree to heal naturally in most cases. Covering the damaged area can sometimes trap moisture and create conditions that invite insects or disease.
Keep an eye on the tree, but give it a chance to do what trees have been doing for a very long time: heal.
Start With the Right Tree for the Right Place
Good tree care actually begins before you ever put a shovel in the ground.
Where will the tree be planted? What's the soil like? Is the area wet or dry? How much sun does it receive? Has another tree grown there before? If so, did it thrive for 40 years or struggle for four?
A tree that's naturally suited to moist soil isn't going to be thrilled when you stick it in a bone-dry, sandy location and ask it to figure things out.
That's why we encourage you to talk with us when you're choosing a tree at Natural Plus Nursery. Tell us where you're planning to plant it, what conditions are like and what you'd like the tree to do for your landscape.
We'll help you narrow down the choices and, just as importantly, make sure you know how to care for your new tree when you get it home.
Natural Plus Nursery has been serving Clear Lake, Mason City and North Iowa since 1978. Stop out, walk through our selection of trees, shrubs and perennials, and let us help you find the right plant for the right place.
Want to Hear the Whole Conversation?
This post only scratches the surface of our conversation with Johanna George of Bailey Nurseries.
In Episode 1 of The Dirt, Mary and Johanna talk about the entire process a tree goes through before arriving at Natural Plus, including field growing, container production, grafting, rootstocks and some of the behind-the-scenes work most of us never think about when we're shopping for plants.
Listen to Episode 1: From Seed to Your Yard: The Real Age of Nursery Trees Explained
And if you have a question you've always wanted to ask about trees, shrubs, perennials or life behind the scenes at a nursery, send it our way. It might just become a future episode of The Dirt.