I’ve wanted a red maple tree for years and just finished planting one in our yard. I followed your planting recommendations. What should I know to help it transition successfully to our landscape? DW

That is great. And if you followed all the guidelines for planting a new young tree you are already on the right track.

Here’s some things to remember to give your new tree its best chance at success.

First of all, don’t forget to water. As your tree sits seemingly dormant in your yard, it is working on developing a good root system. Water is essential for that process. So, plan on giving it a good soaking with about an inch of water each week if Mother Nature doesn’t meet this goal.

Since you planted a maple, there is one more thing you can do to protect this young tree. Maples are thin-barked trees and when they are young, they are susceptible to something called Southwest Tree Injury. Here’s what can happen.

In the cold winter weather, the afternoon sun shines down on the southwest facing side of the tree which causes the bark on that side of the tree to warm up and expand. Then, at night when the temperatures are colder, the bark on the tree naturally contracts. As this process repeats day after day, the bark on the southwest side of the tree can become damaged, causing the bark to split. Most trees do not recover from this damage and as a result have a shortened life span.

You can find this type of damage on many a parking lot tree. Parking lot trees get a double dose since they not only get the sun on southwest side but also get the reflected heat off the parking lot. If the trees have been there a few years, you will notice the bark split on the southwest side and it’s likely the tree isn’t looking so good. Some are probably on their last leg.

The trees that are the most susceptible to this type of damage are thin barked trees such as cherry, maple, weeping willow, and a variety of fruit trees. Fortunately, there is a pretty easy way to prevent this type of damage - paper tree wrap.

You can find paper tree wrap in a 50-foot roll for about $10 making it an easy decision since you have a lot more invested in your new tree. All you need to do is wrap the bark from the first branch down tight enough to keep it secure but not too tight to prevent air circulation.

Plan on leaving this wrap in place throughout the winter and then removing it in the spring. Save the tape to re-apply in the fall. This process should be repeated for the first two or three years. After that, the tree should be able to take care of itself.

For those of you reading this that have a tree that is already damaged by Southwest Tree Injury, there isn’t anything you can do to heal the wound. The best thing you can do is keep the tree healthy with water and fertilization. Good luck!

You can get answers to all your gardening questions by calling the Tulsa Master Gardeners Help Line at 918-746-3701, dropping by our Diagnostic Center at 4116 E. 15th Street, or by emailing us at mg@tulsamastergardeners.org. Photo: Fredric Miller, Joliet Junior College, Bugwood.org