An old family tradition, dating back to before my grandfather was born, was to plant a tree upon moving into a new home. This is still a very popular tradition practiced by my extraordinarily large extended family. It’s a nice way to immediately add value to the new “digs”, and the growth of the tree offers a representative timeline for the property. How delightful it is to return to those houses as an adult, realizing that the tremendous shade tree in the front lawn started out so tiny and fragile, and literally “grew up” with me!

Tree planting, for our nuclear family, started going even beyond moving day. Usually, my dad would like to wait and buy a live tree for our first Christmas in the new home. What a great idea, right? Well, then (in IOWA) we spent the rest of the winter hoping it survived its extended period in its pot until early spring, and then we would plant it. Since we’ve relocated from Iowa to Arizona, this meant that the “Christmas Tree” for each new house was an orange tree, or a lemon tree, or sometimes we got lucky and various sorts of nut trees survived the winter. Those scrawny little sticks in the pot with a few branches and sparse leaves looked really funny laden down with Christmas lights! That was just the best choice for the types of trees that have a better chance of survival out in the middle of the desert. A hard lesson learned quickly is that if we tried to choose a species of tree that was not native or well adapted to the area we would end up with a huge financial and emotional investment that would not survive! Careful selection really ensured that we had a precious addition to our yard to enjoy for years to come.

It is so important to take the time and care to plant and maintain a new tree properly, right from the beginning. It will increase its growth rate and overall life expectancy. The results will be a permanent, majestic, and lush addition to your yard. I know that these results are well worth taking the extra time and care.

Choosing the right tree to plant is one of the biggest challenges. Some of the key factors to consider, besides species, are landscaping functions or purpose expected from the tree, the average life expectancy and eventual size of the tree, and the ornamental value that it will provide.

Eucalyptus trees do well here in the desert. They gain a lot of height and have a strong root base very quickly. These are both good qualities, right? Well, I planted a baby Eucalyptus a little too close to the house one year. Within five years, the roots were growing under my foundation and a limb once fell into my roof during a lightening storm. Both occurrences ended up being financial nightmares. Please learn from my mistake, and be sure to carefully choose the location and proper placement of your new tree, to ensure your enjoyment and their long-term survival! I recommend choosing a type of tree that naturally thrives in your environment, but at the same time, avoid over-planting a particular species in the same area. A natural diversity will promote habitats for wildlife and limit the opportunity for a single common pest to over-develop in that area.

Choosing the time of year to plant the tree is important too. Often times, my “Christmas” tree might get planted too early in the spring, and the ground freezes again, causing the root base to struggle to get a healthy establishment. Don’t wait too long, either. Extremely hot weather can cause sun scalding or moisture stress for the baby tree. Early spring, after the last freeze, or early fall is the best time to plant a tree.

Once these decisions have been made, learning how to feed and water each tree is the key to nurturing this vulnerable new life. The extra care in providing a healthy soil balance and strong root base at the time of planting, will minimize any insect or disease infestation.

A healthy tree will never be attacked by pests because their high brix (sugar content) would be too difficult for the pest to digest. To make sure the new tree has this high brix, start with the foundation of all plant growth, the soil. When I plant a tree, I start by applying organic matter and supporting microbes right into the soil that I backfill around the roots. By adding organic matter you are adding life! Use compost, animal manures, green manures, beneficial bacteria, fungi and nematodes. EM Power (Beneficial Microbes), Nitron (Enzymes that help increase root absorption), and McGeary Organic’s 3-5-3 (high phosphorous for rapid root development) are perfect things to start with. But the most important thing with trees is definitely the fungi. Roots of over 90% of all plants on the earth need beneficial organisms known as mycorrhizal fungi. Our Root Maximizer Beneficial Fungi is the exact ingredient that any type of new tree needs to develop its own microbial system on its roots in order to boost growth and sustainability, immediately increasing the new tree’s quality and overall productivity.

Be sure to provide your tree with the right watering program and learn what it needs through the years as far as fertilizer applications, pruning, etc. are concerned. A healthy tree might even inspire you to make your own family tradition! Just pick a holiday and make it your traditional tree day. It’s an incredible way to mark the years going by…