Right Tree, Right Place: What To Know Before You Plant
By Brian Monaghan, Shade Tree Management Board member and Rutgers Master Gardener
1. Sun or shade. Will the spot you have in mind have access to full sun, partial shade (4 to 6 hours of direct sun) or full shade? For example, Pagoda dogwood and serviceberry trees are native understory species that do well in shade; beach plums (a pollinator magnet) need full sun.
2. Soil type and moisture. Different trees will do well in different soils. Is yours predominately clay, or a mixture of sand and loam and clay? What is the pH and mineral content? The best way to find out is to order a Rutgers soil test kit. Also, is the soil dry, average, moist, or wet? Knowing these things will help you choose a tree that will naturally thrive in these conditions.
3. Tall, medium, small. Choose a species that matures at a size that fits within the boundaries of your allotted space. That way it won't shade out shrubs and perennials—and it won't need annual trimming.
4. Younger is better. Traditional nursery trees are either grown in containers or dug up from fields (which means roots are cut) and then balled and burlapped. Given the trauma to the root systems of balled and burlapped ("B&B") trees—and the difficulty in planting big trees properly--smaller trees are advised. Many saplings (1 to 3-year-old trees) will outpace a B&B tree that has to spend years re-growing a root system. Small trees are easy to transport, easy to plant and need little to no supplemental watering after the first growing season.
5. Plant a soft landings bed under your tree. A new tree will leave open areas in your landscape that can be filled with native perennials and/or shrubs. This plant community will not only look beautiful and protect your tree from damage by lawn equipment, but also create an area where fallen leaves can gather and be left to biodegrade, providing necessary fertilizer for your tree (just as in a forest setting). Trees with soft landing plantings will also provide protection for pollinators and other beneficial insects that lay their eggs on leaves and in leaf litter or overwinter in various phases of their lifecycle.
6. Choose native trees. Native species have evolved in our area over thousands of years. They support co-evolved pollinator insect species which are essential for pollinating so many of the plants in our area. Also, they provide the insects that are essential to 96 percent of the songbirds so many enjoy. Native trees are much more drought tolerant, require no supplementary fertilization, and withstand severe winter weather. By using natives, you increase your chances for greater success. To find out how many species of butterfly and moth caterpillars a native tree supports, use this National Wildlife Federation calculator. Spoiler alert: an oak tree supports 513 local species, a ginkgo tree from Asia supports zero.
Doing a little research and studying the place where you want to plant a tree will help in deciding what species to plant. Addressing the checklist above will guide you in putting the right tree in the right place.
1. Sun or shade. Will the spot you have in mind have access to full sun, partial shade (4 to 6 hours of direct sun) or full shade? For example, Pagoda dogwood and serviceberry trees are native understory species that do well in shade; beach plums (a pollinator magnet) need full sun.
2. Soil type and moisture. Different trees will do well in different soils. Is yours predominately clay, or a mixture of sand and loam and clay? What is the pH and mineral content? The best way to find out is to order a Rutgers soil test kit. Also, is the soil dry, average, moist, or wet? Knowing these things will help you choose a tree that will naturally thrive in these conditions.
3. Tall, medium, small. Choose a species that matures at a size that fits within the boundaries of your allotted space. That way it won't shade out shrubs and perennials—and it won't need annual trimming.
4. Younger is better. Traditional nursery trees are either grown in containers or dug up from fields (which means roots are cut) and then balled and burlapped. Given the trauma to the root systems of balled and burlapped ("B&B") trees—and the difficulty in planting big trees properly--smaller trees are advised. Many saplings (1 to 3-year-old trees) will outpace a B&B tree that has to spend years re-growing a root system. Small trees are easy to transport, easy to plant and need little to no supplemental watering after the first growing season.
5. Plant a soft landings bed under your tree. A new tree will leave open areas in your landscape that can be filled with native perennials and/or shrubs. This plant community will not only look beautiful and protect your tree from damage by lawn equipment, but also create an area where fallen leaves can gather and be left to biodegrade, providing necessary fertilizer for your tree (just as in a forest setting). Trees with soft landing plantings will also provide protection for pollinators and other beneficial insects that lay their eggs on leaves and in leaf litter or overwinter in various phases of their lifecycle.
6. Choose native trees. Native species have evolved in our area over thousands of years. They support co-evolved pollinator insect species which are essential for pollinating so many of the plants in our area. Also, they provide the insects that are essential to 96 percent of the songbirds so many enjoy. Native trees are much more drought tolerant, require no supplementary fertilization, and withstand severe winter weather. By using natives, you increase your chances for greater success. To find out how many species of butterfly and moth caterpillars a native tree supports, use this National Wildlife Federation calculator. Spoiler alert: an oak tree supports 513 local species, a ginkgo tree from Asia supports zero.
Doing a little research and studying the place where you want to plant a tree will help in deciding what species to plant. Addressing the checklist above will guide you in putting the right tree in the right place.
