Any huge tree planting tips?

[fitz19d]

Looking at a hot wings tatarian maple or maybe chanticleer pear for front yard. Little shade for grass, just kinda cover front of house a bit more from passerby.

Probably Northern Catalpa or maybe greenspire linden. For in back to attempt to shade the house. (Biggest flatest side of house with huge pane windows gets all the sun.) Also finally getting some blinds ordered from blinds.com after a forum member jerked me around for a few months..

I'm somewhat limited as I'm trying to stick to A list tree's from the "Front Range recommended tree list" since I have a $100 voucher from the town. B is acceptable but I figured best for my novice self go for safest bets.


Wife is fighting putting the tree about a foot into the grass from the rock border so I avoid sprinkers. Worried I should actually plant even further into yard actually. I have a like 3 foot elevated deck that comes out from the house probably 10-12 foot, another 2 feet of rock border.


I know the root ball is sacred so I'll try sliding tree's down a ramp from my truck bed. Aside from hole 2x as wide and equally as deep as the ball/bucket, any other vodoo I can do to help the tree's other than heavy watering?

[rondog]

My only suggestion is, whatever kind you decide on, go look at some fully grown ones to see how much area they cover. Biggest mistake I think people make is planting trees too close to houses, driveways, fences, sidewalks, other trees, etc. Gotta leave enough space around them, then add a few more feet.

I also read a suggestion once about dumping a small bag of cheap dog food in the bottom of the hole before you put the tree in. Something about extra nutrients for the tree, and also to attract earthworms that will keep the soil loosened up so the roots can spread out better. I did that when I planted a lilac bush and it's grown like crazy.

[DEAGLER]

That root is gonna grow out far in the future. Just toss some light compost down. Plant the tree. Then some more compost on top. Don't forget to level the tree straight up :)

[BPTactical]

Run?

[sniper7]

Make sure to hug it first, then put it in its safe space.

[newracer]

Ask the seller what they recommend. When I worked for a nursery we had slow release fertilizer pellets we would put around the root ball. You don't want to use just any fertilizer though as it can be too "hot" and kill the tree. If your soil is like most on the front range it probably has a lot of clay so I'd amend the back fill with some peat and even a little sand. Don't water too much, with the clay soils here you can actually drown trees. Definitely water during the winter on warm days.

[Great-Kazoo]

What ever you choose, plant it WAY FAR AWAY from your sewer line.

[rondog]

What ever you choose, plant it WAY FAR AWAY from your sewer line.

Oh yeah, this too!

[BladesNBarrels]

What ever you choose, plant it WAY FAR AWAY from your sewer line.

Good you don't live in Lakewood. They required a tree right over the sewer line.
I asked if they would pay for the new sewer line in 25 years?
Nope!

[fitz19d]

Speaking of that, spaced gas line, but knew where sewer line is. I already have it slightly pulled apart, but been that way for years so for now seems to be no biggie. But tree that was dying when we bought place was like 8 inches to the side of it.....

Waiting on locators to come out, but if neighbor is right where gas line is, it's hilarious HOA wants a tree in that side of the yard but yet there is essentially no where to put it unless it's like literally in the last few feet of the front corner along sidewalk (ie retarded hanging over walk into street) or in another corner 2 feet from house and driveway.....

Funny thing is you look down street and bunch of other tree's that are big and old all along where gas line is supposed to be..... Maybe one day we'll blow up like some of those other neighborhoods in years past.

[newracer]

New sewer lines are not as susceptible to tree roots as the clay lines of the past. Also most ornamental and shade tree species to not have deep roots. Cottonwoods on the other hand will grow deep roots.

[fitz19d]

Lol, and just realized title bad. Should be like Any important(big) planting tips, not any tips planting tree (huge).

[Irving]

Lol, and just realized title bad. Should be like Any important(big) planting tips, not any tips planting tree (huge).

Yeah, I thought you wanted a California Redwood in your front yard.

[fitz19d]

I kinda wanted one of the 50 gallon $350 sized tree's but not doing it solo and not paying 250 for them to do it. So did go with the 20(5?) gallon Hot Wings Tartarion Maple in front, and a $110 15 gallon Northern Catalpa.

[CO Hugh]

Don't forget to call 811. Ours have done well with a big hole and lots of soil amendments, compost, manure, etc.

[gnihcraes]

Catalpa, nice tree, but the leaves are a pita. Leaves here right now are as big as your head! Keep it trimmed back to lessen the amount of leaves to deal with. Flowers on it stink/allergic. Sticky flowers on your car are a bit difficult to deal with. (but I park under it so...)

Love the tree otherwise. Hardy, survives storms really well.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/wcUQ3mtuE2UdvLf9Aub4oh5kLAh9jLxGqaxjo7jcm2VLRbr7GE 7SiOpsQD-xa3Gf5Wq7yPCz3ymvT2oj9m5_w9SeV-B-uj5K8kqZ0Sc8b4aZKdzSIkHM-Bk5hdBZtIkAK2ESSw7jM4HtdK5BCljNyMiZZ7HT-VD9bsk7y6suG4bcal0p7ba_8NTcMgDzvRNA0C_QKE5Qz4VZc23 Dl_AGgCG2AOYM7e8TVMrHasmnBIWbynQHiX1ph9I1WL8hBWhJn 4vOUBAAFnQd0j1are4ERM91-NoytTihCiLVM0ZCgIa9_OvHBoH7gqswyEN-0JVkohgmmv9Q2tMn5hOjS3zZO8UNnaQ8wnO6U0x9nx0VUD9qRO WnKUETwn4PtNlmQ4ZrAmC-tNHQaQaJ9eW0sPg_ryOIS0DCFPvF9JalENLz3WDZTygrKiE7aT WuqWnnv4nhJCOTyJ35kmyvpI0ARLA3gesPssjiBfV0R3XzT76z REFV8DY72msf27rH-UpZg0MReZBl8oALtIz3GSKddwxHfQHKl1SXV4F8diWkqq03G-hACz9An_77XLxQSC0_H9ePKFuZEdoQH7FkRZJqqJyDskPtM-CN7580YqWd4SZl3upuA-ZysA=w555-h984-no

[Jim B]

Don't plant them too low. ("Plant it low and it won't grow. Plant it high and it won't die." [Awesom]) Take a look on YouTube for some "how to plant a tree" videos. The roots are usually compacted in the pot and I always loosen up the root ball before putting it in the ground. Some people may disagree with this, but I make a series of vertical cuts (maybe an inch deep or so) around the circumference and on the bottom of the root ball. Doesn't sound like this is your plan, but for anyone else that may be reading this: DON'T PLANT ASPENS AT LOW ELEVATION! (I'm at ~6,000 feet and they don't seem to last long here.)

[Wulf202]

I have a stand of aspens at 5k feet that I can't kill...

[Jim B]

I have a stand of aspens at 5k feet that I can't kill...
You must not be trying hard enough...
http://arborist101.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/How-To-Start-a-Gas-Chainsaw.jpg

All kidding aside, I'd say at least a third of them in my neighborhood are dead or dying. I was at Home Depot recently, and they had just gotten in a shipment of aspens. A lot of them looked like they already had a fungal infection, which doesn't bode well for their survival.

[fitz19d]

Ya, I've removed about 4, with more in various stages of dying. Mostly small but one huge one I'll have to hire out. Same deal whole neighborhood wide. One had some sort of scale disease blanketing it.



Why do you hate the big leaves figured a lot easier to rake up than like a honey locust.

[ray1970]

I don't even bother raking the leaves off my honey locust. They're so small they pretty much just disappear.

I had an aspen. It lasted for about fifteen years but never got very big and eventually got sick and had to be put down.

I had a huge cottonwood that was awesome for shade but dealing with all the leaves was a real chore. It succumbed to old age and I had to take it down before it fell on my house. Apparently cottonwoods only live for so long and then they just start dying. Or that's what someone told me.

I'm pretty happy with my honey locust. Low maintenance and it grows like a weed. Fifteen years ago it was maybe ten or twelve feet tall and maybe six inches accross at the base. It's gotta be about thirty feet tall now and about fifteen inches at the base.

[Irving]

My neighbor has (I think) a silver Ash and it's a gorgeous tree. Perfect size to cover his whole yard, leaves turn brilliant colors of many shades, then the leaves fall off all at once in a week or less. So fast actually, that is comical, like a cartoon.

[Jim B]

My neighbor has (I think) a silver Ash and it's a gorgeous tree.
The problem with planting ash trees is the Emerald Ash Borer [Mad]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerald_ash_borer

[fitz19d]

My neighbor has (I think) a silver Ash and it's a gorgeous tree. Perfect size to cover his whole yard, leaves turn brilliant colors of many shades, then the leaves fall off all at once in a week or less. So fast actually, that is comical, like a cartoon.

Ya, lots of other interesting tree's, but some including I believe silver ash was on the specific verboten list for some reason. (They had about 8 forbidden tree's then from there restricted to a/b ranked tree's)

Definately going to relook at some of the ones listed in thread next year. Probably doing 2-3 tree's additional the next couple years.

[gnihcraes]

The problem with planting ash trees is the Emerald Ash Borer [Mad]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerald_ash_borer

I have an ash and was seeking professionals to do some trim work on it - everyone just wanted to cut it down. Bug or not. So I just did it myself and will take the chance the bug doesn't get down this far.

[Jim B]

I have an ash and was seeking professionals to do some trim work on it - everyone just wanted to cut it down. Bug or not. So I just did it myself and will take the chance the bug doesn't get down this far.
I wouldn't plant any new ones because of the borer, but I don't see any reason to cut down one that's healthy.

[JohnTRourke]

Linden's are great trees. Very little upkeep required, they pretty much grow in a christmas tree pattern and so far don't get any (or few) bugs and diseases. bit of a slow grower though.

Catalpa's grow very fast if you water them enough (and they want a lot of water). They also get hammered by heavy winds (huge leaves) so if it's not protected from the wind it won't do well.

Oak's do very well. Takes a year or two to get established but then grow like crazy and strong. Also Crimson Blaze maples are a nice touch. amazing red colors in the fall, pretty fast grower and relatively strong with few issues.

Honestly, i'd just plant a cottonwood and be done with it if ti's a new development. Keep it away from your sewer line and your roof line, but by the time it gets huge and uncontrollable you'll be long gone and you'll have enjoyed some shade.

most people plant too close to the house. At least 10' away, preferably 20 would be better. Think about how big these trees are going to be in 20 years.

[Jim B]

I've had the best luck with maples and lindens.