okPLANTtrees - Resources - Educational

Caring for your Tree

The most important thing that you can do for your new tree is to monitor the water. The second most important thing is to mulch, mulch, mulch. Keep the grass back away from the trunk of your tree. Grass saps the available water and competes with your tree. (As well as inviting lawn mowers and weed eaters too close!) Spread the mulch of your choice several inches deep in at least a 3 foot circle around the tree (preferably wider), but don't pile mulch up on the trunk of the tree. Mulch cools the soil, retains moisture, and keeps weeds at bay. You can use wood chips, cotton seed hulls, or even dried grass clippings to mulch around your tree.

Don't girdle your tree!
Girdling happens when lawn mowers and weed eaters get too close to the trunk and damage the bark of the tree. Chaining dogs to a tree can also cause girdling to happen. Some of the tree's most important cells lie just under the bark. These cells are responsible for transporting water and nutrients up, and food down, the tree. Damaging this layer of cells stops this important flow and will severely damage or kill your tree.

In Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweeping down the plains, staking your tree is a necessary evil. Your tree should be staked while it is getting established, usually for the first year or so, not indefinitely. Once it is established and rooted in, it will be able to hold itself up. You also do not want to completely immobilize your tree. Some swaying in the wind will help to strengthen your tree. To stake your tree, you will need: two long stakes, two pieces of soft rubber hose about 12 inches long (cut these from the end of an old watering hose), and two pieces of wire 3-4 feet in length. Drive the stakes into the ground a foot or so away from the trunk of your tree, one on the east and one on the west. Do not drive the stakes into the root ball of your tree. Thread a length of wire through one piece of hose. Wrap the wire and hose once around the trunk of your tree, and secure the wire to one of the stakes. Repeat for the other side. No wire should be touching the trunk of the tree. The rubber hose will help protect your tree trunk. Wide strapping can also be used. Check the stakes periodically to make sure they are not too tight, and that they are not causing a sore on your tree. Remove the stakes after a year or so has passed. It is best to remove them in the summer or fall after the spring storms have passed.

Water your tree when it is dry. If you plant your tree in the fall or winter, it will not need to be watered as often as if you plant it in the spring or summer. Until your tree roots out into your soil, it can only reach the water that is in its original root ball. The potting mix that your container tree is planted in is lighter weight than your soil and will dry out faster. In fact, if the potting mix gets really dry, it will start to repel water, making it very hard to water your tree. Water your tree regularly so that this does not happen. The summers in western Oklahoma are harsh. For the most part, rain does not count because it doesn't usually penetrate deep enough. A tree newly planted in the summer should be watered every day with ten to fifteen gallons of water. Making a dam around your tree helps keep the water where it needs to go. As your tree gets older and can reach farther, it will need to be watered less often. Your older tree will still need to be watered during the heat of summer. It is best to water them slowly so the water can soak deeply into the top 12-18 inches of soil. Turn the water hose on low and lay it near the trunk of the tree and let it run for an hour.If you use a sprinkler, set a coffee can in the area to see how long it must run to deliver an inch of water.

Prune your tree during the first few years to help maintain a healthy tree structure. When you prune it is very important to do it correctly. See our pruning guide for more information.

References:
Tree Pruning: A Worldwide Photo Guide. Shigo, Alex L. c. 1989. Shigo and Trees Assoc. Durham.