Trade Secrets from the Tree Doctor - How to Plant a Tree to Grow Twice as Fast! 

I am a landscape contractor of 80 years of age. I have about a 2% loss in planting. (that is not too bad) While I am backfilling the hole with soil, I put a hose to it and add a lot of water. Water is heavy and helps to compact the soil and removes air that may be trapped in the backfill. I may be wrong, but it works for me.

I love this. After 10 years as Texas Master Certified Nursery professional, I have a couple other slight refinements that I think might help. First on the planting depth. Always err to the side of too shallow than too deep. 2 or 3 inches too high or 25 percent of the root ball height too high will be less harmful than 1 inch too deep, which for some sensitive tree species, might even be eventually fatal. There will usually be extra soil left over to make a raised up mound for the tree to live on, trees love growing on mounds, just like they like growing on slopes, super good drainage. This mound should make sort of the crater with a rim for holding the water, so it should look a lot like a moon crater. Use lots of mulch also applied like a crater, with zero depth at the tree trunk and up to 3 or 4 inches deep out by the crater rim, which is at least twice the root ball radius. On the binding circling roots, certainly they can all be cut off, and it won't harm or stress the tree too much. For professionals planting a large number of trees this is probably the most practical way. But for anyone who wants to improve a tad on that, I like to tease and loosen all those circling roots, unwinding them as much as possible and only cut the ones that are not cooperating. This can leave a nice shaggy mass of free roots, and only the inner roots not disturbed. The point to planting trees and the no amendments is to get the roots out into the natural native soil ASAP. These shaggy free roots can be layered in with the back fill soil in lifts as shown here. Another trick for getting native soil into the existing root ball is to stick some of the chunks of native soil right into the groves and holes in the existing root ball(that you can actually make for that purpose); kind of jam them. Then the planting hole could have some wings or groves going out as long as needed for the longest freed roots you've unwound. Get them going straight out and into the native soil. Do all this root preparation quickly or mist them with a little water so they don't dry out too much. Misty rainy weather is a nice time to do planting for this. Finally for staking, the best staking is no stake at all. Rather is to use some short grade stakes, 4 total, and make a square a fair ways outside of the to ball zone, pound them in until they are only a few inches high. Use regular non treated wood for the stakes so they will eventually rot away, if you can't completely pull them out a few years later. Those vertical stakes are then connected with some cross pieces, like 1x2s or 2x2 pressed tightly down on the soil over the root ball and nailed to the stakes. Make a wooden cage over the root ball, but not close to touching the tree's trunk. This holds the root ball down firm, but the trunk is totally free to move and strengthen in the weather. In a few years, those stakes and wood can be removed. The stake holes might be a place to put some slow release fertilizers, which after a few years, the tree will be ready for. Keep well watered in this crater fairly often in hot weather. I like hand watering, right on the tree, rather than relying only on a sprinkler system, which has to overwater the whole area, to fully moisten the new trees root zone. Sprinklers should be for all the established landscape, with deep infrequent watering, like weekly or less, even hot weather. New trees and plants need little drinks right on them more often when it's hot. After the first hot summer is over, start challenging the tree and plants with longer periods between watering, and cut off all watering once it has lost it leaves for winter. Evergreen trees will need a little more in winter, like once a month or every two weeks if it hasn't rained or has been unusually warm. Trees require about 1-2 years of careful care for about every inch of diameter they start out with. A three inch balled and burlaped tree will need about 3-5 years to get established, with some, but diminishing water help in the hot months.

It's been 10 years. Could you do a follow up on this tree if possible?

It took me years of planting trees to learn all these tricks he showed, wish I had watched this video sooner. Thanks for making this.

Wow, I’ve had over 30,000 trees planted and I just learned three things about planting trees! I wish I had seen this video 15 yrs ago!

I used this knowledge to expose my parents lemon tree root flare, and girdling roots. The tree went from 1 in trunk to 4 in trunk in 1 year. Before this it looked stunted and dormant for 5 yrs

His methods are absolutely correct. I've planted over a hundred container trees on my property over the last 3 years. The first year I did it almost all wrong and those trees have hardly grown at all. The last 2 years, I learned to do things his way and those trees are growing like crazy already. And, the beautiful thing is it's a LOT LESS work digging an 8" deep hole, then an 18-24" deep hole like I was doing at the start, lol.

i love everything he said....it makes sense!!! i planted 5 trees last year and did everything wrong according this video and my trees are flourishing!!!!.....

Can we all pitch in and buy this guy a real camera in 2023?

I am a Master Gardener and I have learned so much with this video! By far the this is the best tree planting video I have ever seen.

Would love to see how that tree has grown over the last decade. Probably massive today.

Good points. Here in Wyoming the last step would be installing wire fencing around the young tree to prevent deer from eating all the branches and leaves and male deer from scraping off the bark while rubbing the velvet off their horns. :) I have to add that the only time I paid a nursery to plant a tree (in Virginia) they sent out three guys who dug a hole, threw in the balled in burlap tree without removing or loosening the burlap, added a half dozen tree food plugs, and filled the hole. I have never paid for planting since. Thanks for the tips.

In the summer months in Idaho, when not digging a hole in a lawn, the technique is to dig to a depth of a few inches, add water, wait over night, then finish digging in the softened soil. With bare root trees, the depth of the hole is determined by the depth of the caliche.

Superb guide. Especially the flare locating and root pruning. Too many are unaware of those vital aspects, and nurseries cannot be counted on to educate consumers, for various reasons.

I take a section of washing machine drain hose, it's flexible and a 1 1/4 " in diameter. I coil a loop around the bottom of my hole a little ways from the root ball. I drill plenty of holes in it that's below the surface, then have the end stick out of the ground a few inches. You can then put a water hose in the end of the hose and water straight to the roots.

Excellent. It's kind of staggering to consider how many trees are planted with flares buried and or girdling roots. Cities plant and maintain trees very badly all the time. Bless you for this video.🙂🙂💯

I’m sure the advice in this video about not amending the soil in the bottom of the hole is correct for most soil types, but if you try it in heavy clay soil like I have, you’ll end up with root rot. I followed that advice 15 years ago, and I lost my tree after 12 years. The only roots that were healthy were the shallow ones. The others were dead. If you have really heavy clay, I suggest amending as far out and as deep as possible. He mentions it at the very end. I plant trees over a couple of days: one day, I amend the soil wide and deep and end up with a pretty good sized mound. The next day, I actually plant the tree. The mound goes away after a few years, but by then the tree is well established. That’s been the most effective with my heavy clay and hard pan.

GREAT GREAT INFORMATIVE VIDEO! THANK YOU SO MUCH. JUST PROVES THAT EVEN AT 70 YEARS OLD WE CAN LEARN NEW THINGS. YEP, I'M 70 AND JUST LEARNED THE RIGHT WAY TO PLANT A TREE. GOD BLESS YOU.

1. Remove Gras and other plants in a much wider radius to remove competition for the tree. 2. Leave as much of the top soil as possible. (Let it decompose for down the line good soil) 3. Find the root flare (do not bury the graft union if the tree is grafted) 4. Cut or reposition circling roots that would girdle the trunk. 5. Make the hole wider than the root ball from the tree (not deeper) 6. Do not dig deeper and replace the bottom with good/ammended soil. 7. Root prune/tear to stop the circling 8. Compact the soil when backfilling 9. Prune roots sticking out of the ground 10. Mulch around the tree in a flat manner to avoid water running off 11. Stake (anker deep and firm, not shown) and attach but not with wire. Fairly low, aim is to stabilize the root ball. Things that I would add; If present, remove clay/field soil from the root ball (a lot of nurseries grow the root stock in the field and dig them out, put some good soil around and pop it into a container leaving the field soil close around the root ball with barely any feeder roots)

I thought I was knowledgeable but not now. I'm only now hearing about root flare. Yours is the 2nd video to show that to me. I always thought the soil height in the container was where to line it up with the soil. Never thinking the plant or tree might be too low in the pot to begin with. Thanks so much for the instruction.

One of the best tree-planting videos I've seen ... possibly the best ... though where I live (southern Illinois), deer will be a significant hazard ... I have to cage the tree ... and from experience, I've learned to do that using 2 t-post and wire cage material around that (and I use whatever is on hand for the cage material) ... and since there are 2 posts, I tie the tree to those 2 posts using something stretchy and gentle to the tree (usually my wife's used hoses (sp?) that have been cut leaving just the leg ... other benefits of using 2 posts, is that they can be installed at an angle away from the tree to allow space for a "wind-blown" tree, AND, mowing around 2 posts inline with a trunk is easier than mowing around more than that.

I am an arborist and nursery man and have planted over a thousand trees. I approve of this video! My only comment is to plant even higher than you recommend, I like to leave the crown about 1-2 inches above native grade, up to a foot above grade for bigger trees or in heavy clay. This is because the container medium will decompose and the tree will settle an inch or so. I also add a handful of high quality worm compost as a soil probiotic to kick things off. I make a good sized basin to water in, and fill the basin with wood chip mulch, leaving about a foot around the trunk clear of mulch.

BEST tree planting video I've ever seen, and I've watched a lot of them! Thank you!!!

My grammar never used so much rules to plant a tree and she did very well... 😂

Note that this tree is a container tree. If the tree had been bare root it would need to be cut back ap. 1/3 to1/2 or else there would be too much top growth for the roots. When planting a tree it is much better to water it in as it is planted. The roots need moisture immediately. Also this will prevent any air pockets may kill the roots. I always sign the hole deeper than necessary, then throw extra dirt back in the hole before planting the tree. This helps the tap roots get going. Also dig a hole quite a bit wider than itnwould have to be. Tree will tend to maybe sink just a little but that just provides a depression which is good. Forget about the mulch. It is a wast of money. Keeping grass away from the tree is also not necessary. Just keep it mowed. The grass roots go down and break up the soil and will not hurt the growth of the tree. I have grown pecan trees where some were kept grass free around them and some I just mowed the grass. No difference. The main reasons for tree death in the first few years are too much fertilizer and hitting green trunk with herbicide. Good rule is do not fertilizer the first year and after first just a little 10-10-10 sprinkled around the outside of the canopy until the tree gets several years old. Young trees are often over fertilized then they will get too much stress, particularly in very hot dry conditions.

The best planting tutorial on RU-vid.

Now I have to dig my trees out and replant them. Thanks for the video.

One of the best tree-planting video's I have seen. Thank you for creating and posting! Now the bad part. I've got some remedial work to do on trees I have planted.

I always dig a Deep Hole in center of planting hole with a Post Hole Digger, I make it at least 3-5 deep and fill with loose compost so that Tap Root will not have to Fight Hard soil--the Key to any Tree's Strength is it's Tap Root, it will allow trees to overcome strong winds without being Uprooted. Years ago an Old Timer taught me to do this and I have Planted Many Trees this way ever since...

Incredibly helpful. Thank you so much! We are planting a tree in our yard in memory of my bf that just unexpectedly passed away and this means so much.

Also-- I don't know why I stopped on this video?? I have planted hundreds of trees over 50 yrs. But it was one of the best, informative teaching videos for homeowners I have ever seen.

I learned so much - I've got to run out and get all the mulching off my trees and check for those rounding roots - Thanks so much

As an organic homesteader for over 50 years, I would like to add a couple more best practices I've learned. When you dig the hole, make sure the sides go straight down so that when the roots hit the undug compacted sides they don't go up the slope or circle around. It also helps to use a thick layer of compost as the mulch. Trees rely on microbes and fungi to feed them. The tree trades sugars it makes from the sunlight for nutrients the microbes and mycelium fungi gather from the surrounding landscape. It is a crucial symbiotic relationship. It helps to gather some topsoil from a nearby forest because it contains the right ratio of microbes and fungi for trees - mix into the compost mulch. Using this method, no fertilizer will ever be needed and the tree will grow much faster. A layer of woodchip mulch on top of the compost is helpful to control soil evaporation. The microbes and fungi need a moist environment or they die.

I definitely didn’t know all this for planting a tree correctly, I been doing it all wrong!

Good idea to cut the circling roots off. An alternative to using the spade, is to use a saw and create a box form for the "root ball."

Good job. I have planted hundreds of orchard and landscape trees, I agree completely. If someone wants to skimp make the cleared area smaller but otherwise, excellant.

If we tried all that root cutting in the hot humid deep south we'd be inviting fungal cankers into the roots system which would be a death sentence for the tree . We would also make a post hole or soil auger hole in the bottom of the hole about 24' inches deeper than the bottom of the hole and fill it with a 50-50% mix of soil and pine bark mulch.or gravel to allow tap root to grow down .The tree would rest on the bottom of the hole but the tap root hold would be there fro teh tap roost to grow down .It would also be a good idea to bury a vertical 24-36" pvc pipe for deep watering to encourage the tap root to grow down .His tree as shown would not survive a southern drought (if not killed by fungal canker ) .Im sure it fine for Pa. But not the deep south

I have found that a circular hole can cause roots to go round in that circle possibly causing the tree to keel over in later life due to root girdling. so I always dig a square hole, as roots rarely grow backwards out of a corner, And one of the corners of that square I to point towards the prevailing wind, so that one root becomes an anchor against that wind . One other thing, I have also found, That a good mulch will kill off the sod, which makes extra food for the roots of the tree, so no need to remove the sod, occasionally I have dug the sod and turned it upside down to speed up the rotting process. RC.

Sir, this is an excellent video,so much goes into planting a tree properly. I had no idea,but it makes a big difference doing it the right way the first time. Thank you for your time and experience.

He makes so much sense. I’m watching all the RU-vid videos I can find for planting young trees. I’m planting three trees. I think this video is still the best I’ve seen yet in June 2022. I’d love to see an update. How did the tree grow? What does it look like now? I live in southern Oklahoma. I think I need to use compost/manure in my heavy clay soil. It’s summer and I think that will help my new trees. Is that correct? I’ve never planted a tree before.

I subbed because you opened with music from the Doors!🤘AND... he knows his stuff👍

I've been doing it all wrong. But no more thanks to you graciously sharing your knowledge.

Outstanding clarity and explanation. Thanks for this.

Thank you, gor making this video.

No Air pockets, no girdling roots, no overdoing the mulch or crowding the root flare/crown with it, keep it upright and protect it from wild animals/children! I agree! But, I would also add that it's quite possible to find girdling roots deeper inside the root ball than he dug, that you almost cannot give it too much water as others have commented, that a little bit of Milorganite in with the roots of most trees wouldn't hurt, and my personal favorite/opinion: Nature's lawn and garden in Buffalo has Aerify plus or Nature's Magic that can't be beat as a bioactivator as long as there is WATER!!!!!!!!!😇😇😇

I like the long handle spade to remove the sod, you can also move the sod somewhere else to repair a dry area.

Why is it that no-one ever mentions the paint mark that is in the trunk from the nurseries? I asked a nursery what the paint mark is all about. They explained to me that it indicates the shrub or tree that the paint mark points to the south. When planting your tree, make sure the paint mark points to the south. If you don't,, the tree is confused by its new orientation, and takes up to 3 years before it actually begins to grow properly. This makes sense to me cause you could imagine how confused you would be if one day the sun rose in the west!

Terrific video. Just what we needed before we plant the maple tree that we just purchased. Thank you!

Great video. There is a lot of physical effort that goes into correctly planting a tree or large shrub. The soil Eric is working with is friendlier than the rocky shale held together with red clay that resents any disturbance I have in mind, that dominates my area. This brings me to the actual reason for this post. After watching about a gazillion gardening/planting videos, not one of these nice helpful people address tools. That botanical prize you just brought home could be a freebie from a friend or a highly sought after specimen that you paid a small ransom for at the Shady Tree Farm down the road. Planting one is just as physically demanding as the other. Folks, *The Quality Of Your Tools Matter.*. Don’t get stingy when purchasing yard tools or other implements of destruction! I am 71 yrs old and I need my feeble efforts to count as much as possible. If you think that you won’t work much harder with a $20 hoe or shovel than with a $50 one, then you need to get at least one high quality tool and give it a try. Pick out the one tool you use most and replace it with one of the highest quality you can afford. One of my favorite brands is Rogue. Quite a few of their tools are sold to fire departments and forestry divisions. Another brand I like is Radius Garden. I have the original root slayer and I use this tool more than any other tool I have. The third brand on my list is Bully Tools. Ammerican made and several of their tools have a choice of 12 or 14 gauge steel. I have no affiliation of any kind with the companies I have mentioned. These are just the manufacturers that I have experience with. My youth and vigor got left miles back down the road and considering that I am all of 5’2” and a massive 135lbs, I need my tools to work as effectively as possible. I really wish that some of the gardening/planting content makers would emphasize the importance of quality tools. They really do make a difference.

I'm planting 3 trees this weekend: Queen Anne cherry, Apricot, and 5 graft plum. Thank you so much!!

You demonstrated measuring the tree's root ball height to the proper girdle level. You should then demonstrate measuring the depth of the hole that is usually obtained by laying the shovel handle across the level surface and measure off of it to the bottom of the dug hole to get an accurate depth.

Just found this video and it’s very timely for me. Thank you so much! Blessings to you & yours.

Really appreciate this information. Thank you so much!! New to tree planting.

Return to this site and let's take a look of how it's growing

That just change almost everything I knew about planting trees.

An updated version of this video done by a newer camera and microphone with a wind screen would be amazing! Thanks for the content!

Lots of great info! To this I would add: Do your research when selecting the variety of tree. I live in zone 9 and see a lot of problem with fruit trees that don't get enough chill hours. Also lots of death from fungal diseases such as peach tree leaf curl. When the tree gets sick, the only option is to terminate it and replace with a disease-resistant variety. In other words, what the homeowner should have done in the first place.

Never seen before a person in white trousers planting a tree

Need to show close up of the root flare

This is clear and helpful. I m glad I just saw this bcz I needed a fruit tree in my backyard “abricotier”. Thx for this video

CONGRATULATIONS! Finally, someone getting it right. The root flare is always buried in the can or in the root ball.

Thank you for this most informative lesson on tree planting. As they say the cure for ignorance is knowledge acquisition 😁. Thank you very much. 🙏

What if I moved into a new house with young trees planted 'below ground' and when exposing the root flare/buttresses you are 4-6 inches below ground? What do you do then?

Fantastic Best ever advice I've been planting trees the wrong way for 50 years and always wondered why it was So hot and miss... Thank you ☺️

I bought a house in Ohio seven years ago. The builder built on the side of a rock quarry and then simply graded the property. No top soil, just rocks and clay. Not good to grow any thing in. I wanted some trees so I bought two oaks - one Burr. one White. First I had thw hole dug, I am disabled, 4 ft. in diamiter and 4' deep. Then the guys went to the nursery and dug me two trees each about 4" in diameter with a huge ball - about 1,500 lbs. each. We filled the hole about 2' with a mix of top soil, peat and sand thououghly mixed and filled the fill with water, walking on the mix with our rubber boots to get a flat bottom. Put the tree in the hole and back filled with more "miracal" soil and water. The ball was trimmed at the nursery so there was little to do. The tree was roughly shaped as it was put in the hole. The hole was so big, there was no staking. Seven years later the trees reach the ridge of the house so they were trimmed and fertilized. A neighbor stopped by and asked why I planted such big trees. I'm 78 and want to sit in the shade before I pass! FYI I have flowers and shrubs on three sides of the house. One English Roseum was doing very poorly so we cut it back to about 8" above the ground last Fall. It has taken off like a rocket - thicker and higher than when I planted it. I had done this to our house in CT. Last I saw them, they are now about 40 yrs. old and 16 ft. high. I can't imagine what they look like in the Spring. Gardening is a learning experience and oh so peaceful.

I have been digging "deep and wide" for years. Thanks for the instruction.

I have been planting trees most of my life. I believe the way you do things is the correct way. Dig, plop, prune, drop. food and water too. Thank you.

We are going to be planting our first fruit trees in the backyard, so I've been watching a bunch of videos on the topic. I've watched close to ten videos on planting/staking and I believe that this is the best one. It has all the best advice from the other videos, but the quality of the video is very poor. I hope Mr. Vorodi is still around and can redo a modern version of this video.

I would like to see this tree again as it is now 10 years later.

I've heard when planting also plant a pipe that goes alil below the root line and water it thru this pipe so the roots search down for water instead of depending on surface water

Good video, definitely spot on with some important points, hole not deeper than root ball but plenty wider, wider is better, rough up roots to stop from growing in circular fashion, not fertilizing at the time of planting, fertilizer can be too “hot” and toxic for young roots and I’ve experienced plant loss that I believe was from fertilizer poisoning, etc. A few tips I would offer: 1. Water! He literally didn’t water, the most important thing! When I get the tree to the site, I water it immediately while it’s still in the container. Travel can be stressful for a tree, of course, it should always be tarped before transporting it in a truck or trailer, and one would hope it was freshly watered coming from the nursery, but that’s not always the case…water first thing! Then, once you’ve placed the tree in the location where it is to be planted, water! Watering before the tree is taken out of the container allows the tiny root hairs to absorb the water before they get broken off during planting. These root hairs are very small and break off very easily. They are what actually absorb the water, so water while these hairs are still intact so the tree has a chance to absorb the water before it has to regrow these hairs. The water will not only water the tree, but it will begin to dampen the area where the tree is to be planted, softening the soil and facilitating digging the hole. Better yet, thoroughly saturating the area the day before planting will benefit not only the tree, but the planter of the tree as well! If adequate rainfall has occurred, you’re already ahead of the game. But the difference between bone dry soil, and adequately moistened soil is night and day. Water!! Next, after digging the hole, before even placing the tree in the hole, fill the hole with water! Let it soak in, and plant the tree while there is still water in the hole. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to get water down to the bottom of the hole where the roots will be absorbing it once the hole is back-filled. And that water you’ve put in the bottom of the hole will stay in the ground for an extended period providing moisture from the bottom up to the newly planted tree and helping it survive and encouraging the roots to grow deeper in search of that moisture. Lastly, once the tree is back-filled, mulched, and staked…water!!! This watering connects the water in the bottom of the hole to the surface. Water is the most important thing! 2. Compost! I agree not to fertilize at the time of planting, but compost is not fertilizer! It is crucial! You only have one chance to add this very important amendment…at the time of planting! There are so many benefits and necessities to compost: it loosens soil to allow for good drainage and oxygen, it breaks up clay to allow for the absorption of water and nutrients, it provides a habitat for beneficial microbes, worms, mycelium, etc., it helps the roots grow through the loosened soil, it helps hold moisture making it available to the tree while it is establishing itself, and so on. Compost is crucial!! I like using a product in my area called “Leafgro”. It’s is basically composted leaves, very dark and rich, and a must for healthy, happy plantings! 3. I would recommend turning the soil a shovel deep over the entire area that is being mulched. This allows the entire area to absorb water and will make a big difference in the long run. 4. Trust in the miracle of life that is in the tree. Trees are incredibly resilient, and with proper care and love, will weather all kinds of harsh conditions and continue to be there for us to enjoy. Get “in tune” with your new tree, and don’t forget about it when summer comes, and it’s hot and dry, and your newly planted tree might be suffering and longing for a drink of water. Water!!❤

Bang on! He's totally right about removing grass over a wide area. Dr. Albert Howard is one,if not the best, pioneer in soil fertility and did many studies confirming this practice, especially with fruit bearing trees.

It's amazing how many trees I've planted until some of these basic things were known to me.

KNOWLEDGE. The gift that keeps on giving. Thanks.

I'm in Western Colorado at about 6,500 feet elevation, zones 5/6. It usually doesn't reach under 0F, but occasionally will touch -5F for a short couple of hours. This month I planted 7 fruit trees that are about 4ft tall, from #5 buckets. 3 apple (2 varieties), 2 identical plum, and 2 different peaches. They are all within 50' of each other. I bought these locally. When I find them, I'm going to plant 4 more fruit trees, 2 of each pear and "fruit cocktail" trees (plum, nectarine, peach and apricot) within 20 feet of the first 7 trees. I am concerned with proper pollination as this has been an issue in the past with my garden. I do what I can to attract more bees by putting sugar water in the yard that feeds the humming birds too. I'm wondering if the sugar water is counterproductive though...and distracts the bees instead 😆. Two questions: 1. Why are some saying that pollination is best between two different varieties of apples, pears and plums? Why can't the trees be the same variety to pollinate each other? 2. I plan on keeping the trees under 10 feet tall, and making the young branches grow more horizontal than upward to make them bushy and easier to access. I've read this also makes the trees stronger and grow faster. And if necessary I can cover them easily on those abnormal deeper cold spells. Have you experienced this, or tried any methods to make them grow outward, more horizontally? Thanks! Chris

RU-vid recommended this video to me in October of 2022. I'm watching and thinking..... How big is this tree going to be?! I planted over three hundred plants and bushes and trees... I now have a tropical forest. .. and one thing... We allow them all to compete. They grow taller that way and faster.. they shade each other and communicate with each other.. I over water and feed fish emulsion, kelp and worm castings. (I have great drainage! I'm in sand.) I dig into the roots to stimulate root growth and drip the soil back in by hand with the hose soaking the water into the sand to allow it to fall back into place like there was never a hole. I planted only trees that were small enough for me to carry by my own arms and hands. And I saved so much money with the fun of creating my own fast growing trees.

It’s now10 years later. Would be great to see how that tree looks now! Beautiful I’m sure.

I planted my first tree ever with the knowledge I gained from this video. Thanks so much! I now have a Chinese Pastiche that was in a 15-gallon container in my front yard, in a clayey soil in NE Texas. I followed your step-by-step. Hoping it does well. What is your tip in watering? Please share. Thanks again!

I plant all the time,will try your method, I bet it will turn out amazing so thank you for the video.

I've planted over 1.5 million trees and am just now learning this stuff

I'm seeing a trend of using cardboard as a mulch to keep down grass suppression. Would that be good or would it keep out the oxygen needed for the roots?

I'm just a backyard gardner and there are so many things I've never done, or even thought about. I'm getting ready to plant another tree and was just looking at lots of planting videos. This is the most informative tree planting video I've ever watched. Would be lovely to see this tree now.

Thank you for this clear, concise and informative video. Just about to plant container grown apple tree that looks like it has been in the container for some time. It does make me wonder about the success of these, we planted a million trees to save the planet schemes though.

Superb video. Appears to have been filmed mid 90's but who cares, the information is bang on and in depth 👏

Wow never knew this before. I will use this info when I plant my next tree.

Need to water the newly planted tree!

and now I have to go and replant my tree. Thank you.

What do you do with the roots of a tree with a main taproot if the root isn't going down straight? Maples have flared more ground level roots vs something like an American persimmon or a black gum.

I did not hear what zone you are in. I'm new to 5b/6a (a bit of snow). Most of there trees here look terrible. I'm looking for a point of interest tree for our backyard. I'd love a medium sized tree (full sun) w/ a beautiful canopy &/or multi trucked. Is there a magnolia that will survive in my zone. What would you recommend? Thank you!

Great valuable information. (Set playback speed to 1.5 to hurry things along.)

Anything trees, love it. Brilliant video, thank you.

I will be planting my 4 guavatrees, 2 apple trees and a peach tree in few days to come I will stick to your method of doing it. Thanks for the video.

Thnx ! I hope your customers appreciate how lucky they are !

Lots of valuable tips well delivered. Thank you.

Thank you for so wonderful video!

Useful for planting perennials and annuals also. I always butterfly them cutting the circling roots before planting. They are pretty root bound. I had the nursery plant a dwarf crab and it's now leaning- grrrr. Can't change it now.

Wow, learned allot. But what if your tree is grown in a pot and left in there too long and when you pull it out of the pot The tap Root has grown around and around and so when you straighten it out it is 2 ft long. Then do you dig the hole two feet down and stretch The tap Root down as straight as you can? And then we have 30 days a year of 65 mph winds and I fear if I stake the tree and attach it only on the bottom third that the top will permanently bend or break. So should I stake it 2/3 of the way up? Thank you in advance for your help

This is very helpful and I learned a few important things. However, would it not be better to place landscaping fabric under the mulch?

Super Informative. One of the best on the topic

Thank you very much for the advise and expertise. Respectfully suggest to improve the quality of the video. Thank you