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.