Any Tips For Planting Crab and Dogwood Trees?

This weekend with the help of a locale teenager will be planting trees.Does any one have any tips for planting in heavy clay?

This is a tough time of year for planting trees. You will have to keep an eagle eye on their watering needs, right through til they drop their leaves in the fall.

Best thing when planting into heavy clay is to break the clay up so their roots can easily penetrate it. Rough up the sides of the hole you dig (cut slashes in with the side of your shovel) and if you are feeling ambitious use a strong spading fork at 6" intervals all around the hole, going out several feet, to loosen the soil by sticking the fork deeply in and pulling it forward and backwards to disturb the underground soil.

Also be nice to the root mass of the trees so they are not set back any mroe than necessary, given that it's tougher planting conditions already. Don't lift the tree by the trunk; don't leave it sitting with the root ball bare in the sunlight; and depending on whether it is potted, fiber-potted, or balled and burlapped, make sure you handle it correctly when planting. if these are smallish potted trees it is worth gently teasing out the endmost roots before putting in planting hole.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

I am agree with patandchickens

I was thinking you might want to make the hole a bit bigger (good thing you have a teenager to do the shoveling) then amending the soil before you put it back in the hole. Water is VERY important. Good Luck.