The weather has been pretty rough on our plants this year. Because of that, a lot of us are likely thinking about replacing those damaged trees or shrubs. The good news is that fall is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs.

When we plant trees and shrubs in the fall, we might think they are just sitting dormant during the winter, but that is not the case. During the fall and winter, they are working on developing their root systems. The better the root system, the better their chance for survival.

Now this doesn’t mean you can’t plant trees or shrubs at other times of the year, it just means that if these plants have the winter to work on their root systems, you are not going to have to spend as much of your time watering them in an attempt to keep them alive.

Trees and shrubs can be purchased in three different ways - balled and burlaped, container grown, and bare root. Bare root trees are the ones you might order from a catalog or get at a free tree give-away event. Bare root trees would be the exception to fall planting since they need to be planted in mid-February to mid-April. However, most of the trees and shrubs we are going to find at area nurseries will be either balled and burlaped or container grown.

Balled and burlaped trees are grown to a specified size and then dug up with a tractor that has been outfitted with a claw-like attachment for this purpose. Unfortunately, during this process the tree is separated from the bulk of its root system which is why these trees are best planted in the fall so they have the winter to begin to re-establish a functional root system.

Container grown trees and shrubs have been raised in a container, so they come with an established root system. Because of this, when planting at other times of the year, container grown plants are a good choice.

Planting techniques for both balled and burlaped as well as container grown are the same. Once you have selected your tree or shrub, you’re going to need to dig a hole. Now digging holes is not my favorite thing to do but when you are planting trees or shrugs, you’re going to need to dig the hole about 3 times wider than the root ball.

As you can imagine, most of the soil in your landscape is fairly compacted. Digging this larger hole is a way to provide your new plant with loosened up soil which will make it easier for the growing roots to reach out into their surroundings. Yes, this takes a little more effort, but it’s worth it. You will have invested a fair amount in your new tree or shrub, so just go ahead and dig the bigger hole. It’s worth the extra effort.

Even though you are going to dig the hole 3 times wider than the width of the root ball, you only want to dig the hole as deep as the root ball leaving the soil at the bottom of the hole undisturbed. This will provide a good solid base for your plant and minimize settling. In fact, dig the hole just deep enough so that the top of the root ball remains a little above the level of the surrounding soil. If you are planting a balled and burlaped tree, be sure to remove the twine and burlap before planting.

Now that you have dug a proper hole and lowered the plant into the hole, it’s time to back-fill the hole. When doing this, use the soil that came out of the hole. There’s no need to add soil amendments of any kind because you want the plant to get used to the soil where it’s located, not some nutrient-charged super-soil you created to fill the hole.

After filling in the hole, add some mulch around your tree or shrub. Mulch will minimize weeds but more importantly, it will help retain moisture in the soil which your new plant is going to need. Be sure to keep the mulch away from the base of the tree because mulch up against the tree can contribute to weak bark and disease development.

If your tree is of a size that wind could topple it over, it’s a good idea to stake the tree to provide support. Staking involves driving some rather large stakes such as T-bars a short distance from the tree and tying the tree to the stakes so it doesn’t get blown over. Just be sure to attach these supports loosely to your give the tree room to grow. A little space to move also helps to strengthen the trunk.

Now it’s time to water. Plan on giving your new tree or shrub about an inch of water a week during the fall and winter. Yes, rain counts, just keep track to make sure they get about an inch each week whatever the source.

We have information on recommended trees and shrubs for our area on our website. Just go to www.tulsamastergardeners.org and click on the Lawn and Garden Help icon. You’ll find them listed in the Trees and Shrubs section. See you in the garden!

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 OSU Dept. of Agriculture