Selecting and Planting Trees

Selecting and Planting Trees and Shrubs

Tree/Shrub Selection Guidance

- Doug Thiel

The first step is to define the purpose of the planting – for instance, is it to provide shade, reduce stormwater runoff, beautify your property or create wildlife habitat.
Evaluate site-specific characteristics that affect species suitability. Consider overhead utility lines, soil moisture, soil type (sand, loam or clay), sun exposure (full, partial or shade), building structures, road salt exposure and space constraints.
Determine tree species that will thrive in your area's plant hardiness zone.

4. Native trees are generally preferred as they are well-adapted to the local environment. Native trees are those that naturally occur in a particular region, ecosystem or habitat without human intervention. They generally are more resistant to insect pests and various bacterial and fungal diseases. Native trees and shrubs provide backyard habitat for birds, insects (pollinators) and other wildlife. Those that produce berries and nuts provide a source of food and offer shelter to a variety of wildlife. Native trees are adapted to local rainfall patterns and climate, requiring less watering than non-native species. Finally, native trees and shrubs create a more diverse and resilient ecosystem by supporting a wider variety of plant and animal life. For example, oaks are considered a pillar or keystone species. This means they are crucial for wildlife habitat, providing food, shelter and nesting sites for a wide variety of wildlife species. It is estimated that a mature White Oak tree can support over 2,300 different species of wildlife, including birds, mammals, amphibians, insects and fungi. This includes over 534 species of caterpillars.

5. It is advantageous to plant a wide variety of tree and shrub species, which helps reduce the risk of widespread damage from pests, diseases, or environmental stresses.

6. Consider potentially undesirable traits such as:

Litter with messy fruit and easily broken off branches and twigs. Examples are American Basswood, Silver Maple and Bradford Pear.
Flowers with unpleasant odours. An example would be Bradford Pear.
Pollen and allergy concerns.

Note: A list of deer-resistant trees, shrubs, and flowers and a list of native tree species suitable for clay soils in southeast Michigan are available on the Grosse Ile Nature and Land Conservancy website

Tree Planting Guidance

Native trees can be purchased as bare-rooted whips, in plastic containers and in balled and burlapped wired packaging.
Trees should be planted around mid-spring or in the fall. My preferred planting time is in the fall, which gives the tree more time to acclimatize to being transplanted before the summer drought conditions occur.
Once your planting location has been determined, call MISS DIG to ensure there are no buried utility lines in that location that could be an electrocution hazard. In Michigan, call 1-800-482-7171 to reach MISS DIG. This service requires notification at least three business days prior to digging.
Dig a hole at least 1/3 wider and deeper than the roots or root ball. This allows for better drainage around the roots and more rapid growth of roots. With all three purchase options, it is critical that the roots are not allowed to dry out. If this occurs it greatly increases the likelihood of tree mortality. This is extremely critical for bare-rooted whips. If the small rootlets are allowed to dry prior to planting it is almost certain that they will not survive.
After preparation of the planting hole, use a marker to mark on the tree trunk the spot where the tree meets the soil (called root flare) for both the potted and burlapped specimens. This assists in making sure that the final soil depth around the tree is correct when planting the tree.
When planting a tree in a plastic container, carefully remove the tree from the plastic container by using sheet-metal shears to cut away the container so as to minimize the impact on the roots. For wired, burlapped trees, remove the wire around the root ball and remove the burlap just prior to planting. Using a yardstick, measure the height of the mark you placed on the trunk of the tree and then ensure the depth of your hole is the same measurement. If the roots appear to be highly compacted, use a utility knife to tease the roots on the sides and bottom (if possible) of the root ball just prior to planting to speed up the process of the roots growing out from the root ball after planting. Slide the root ball and tree into the hole. Be careful not to use the tree trunk or branches when moving the tree into the hole to minimize damage to the tree. Lay the yardstick or other suitable narrow diameter pole or wooden strip across the top of the root ball to verify that the root ball and tree are planted to proper depth. The soil depth should be at or slightly below the root flare when finished backfilling the root ball.
Check from two different sides of the tree to ensure the tree is positioned straight up and down. Adjust as necessary. While one person holds the tree in the straight up and down position, have another one or two people place soil around the root ball. Use a mixture of 2/3 native soil and 1/3 high-quality peat humus- enhanced topsoil when filling in around the root ball. Compact the soil periodically with your hands or a small stick around the roots. You want to make sure that there is no air void left after placing the soil around the root ball.
Give the tree plenty of water to further compact the soil and provide water to the roots to assist the tree in dealing with the shock of being transplanted. Do not fertilize until late spring, the second year after planting.
After the water has soaked in, place a two to three-inch layer of wood mulch covering the entire excavated area. Make sure the mulch is not placed directly against the trunk of the tree. The ink mark should be visible just above the ground level when you are finished planting the tree. It is recommended that cedar or cypress mulch be used, as it takes a long time to biodegrade as opposed to hardwood or pine mulch, which biodegrades quickly and also can attract Carpenter Ants.
If deer are present in the area where you are planting the tree, install a perforated plastic trunk guard or wire cage around the tree to prevent damage from deer.
Water the tree generously every week to ten days during the first growing season. Adjust watering frequency based on the amount of rain that occurs.