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If you were wishing for more shade during the heat of summer, or you want to enjoy flowering trees next spring, you may be thinking about planting one or more trees in your yard. Fall is a great time to plant trees, and may be the best time to plant a tree. 

That’s because by planting in the fall the tree has a chance to develop a root system before the heat and dry weather that can come with summer. But what sort of tree should you get, and where should you plant it? Keep reading for some tips.

Selecting the Right Tree for the Right Place

It’s important that you select the right tree for the right place. There are several things you must keep in mind to ensure your tree thrives. These include:

• Choosing a tree that will thrive in sun, shade, or wet conditions
• Choosing a tree that will complement your overall landscape design
• Choosing a space to plant the tree that will give it room to grow to its full potential

Do your research and don’t just select a tree and plant it without taking all of this into consideration. Some trees like to have wet roots, while it will kill others. Some trees need to be in the understory of larger trees. 

Don’t plant a tree too close to the corner of your house, or near power lines. It may look nice now, but in a few years, that tree will be scraping the side of your house or in danger of hitting the power lines. You also need to consider if the tree you’re planting will have roots that end up going under your driveway or sidewalk. That can cause heaving and cracks.

You can get more tips on selecting the right tree from the Arbor Day Foundation. Try their Tree Wizard tool.

How to Plant a Tree

If you want to plant several trees but don’t have the tools or the energy, consider hiring a landscaping company to do the work. And if you have an overall plan in mind, you may want to hire a landscape design company to provide a cohesive plan for your gardens.

But if you’re going to plant a tree yourself, how to plant it depends on the type of tree and how it arrives at your home – bare root, balled and burlapped, or potted. We turn again to the Arbor Day Foundation. They’ve created a set of videos to help homeowners like you.

Planting Bare Root Trees

Planting Balled & Burlapped Trees

Planting Container Trees

Plant Spring Bulbs at the Same Time

If you’re interested in having spring bulbs encircle your tree for a riot of color in the spring, plant them now. The grass has been removed and the dirt has already been loosened, making it easy to plant the bulbs before you put down mulch. Tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, grape hyacinths, snowdrops, and crocus are all good selections.

Caring for Your New Tree

Once you’ve planted, watered, and mulched your new tree, your work is not done. You will need to carefully provide enough water for your newly planted tree for the next 2 years. That’s because the tree is expending a lot of energy developing a root system and foliage. But you also need to be careful not to over-water. This can kill a tree. Follow the recommendations and guidelines that come with your tree.

Dream It. Build It. Live It.

If you’re looking to overhaul your landscape design and add shade trees, evergreens, and flowering trees and shrubs, you need a team of professionals. We can take your landscape design ideas and turn them into reality with hardscaping elements to add functionality and visual interest.

We work with homeowners throughout the Capital Region, including Northern Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C.