C OLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE

AND LIFE SCIENCES

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION

AZ1022 Revised 11/12

Planting Guidelines: Container Trees & Shrubs

Ursula Schuch

STAKE ONLY IF REQUIRED . INSTALL STAKES OUTSIDE

THE ROOT BALL AT LEAST 6 ” INTO UNDISTURBED
SOIL . CUT OFF BELOW FIRST MAJOR BRANCH OR
PLACE OUTSIDE CANOPY .

Figure 1. Planting and staking a tree in soil without a hardpan (left) and with a hardpan (right).

2. Soil Amendments:
Introduction
Do not add organic amendments, such as manure, compost, or
The majority of tree and shrub roots occur within the top two
wood chips, to the soil. These amendments do not improve, and
feet of soil and extend up to 3 to 5 times the width of the canopy.
may inhibit the growth of the plant. Nitrogen is usually lacking
These roots hold the plant in place and absorb water and nutrients.
and can be effectively applied to the soil surface a year after
Steps taken during planting to encourage the growth of these
planting. Experience may suggest that another nutrient, usually
roots can reduce establishment time and improve plant survival
iron, is also lacking. If so, apply at manufacturer’s recommended
and stability. Such steps include shallow, wide planting holes, no
rates before cultivating.
organic amendments in the backfill, an organic surface mulch
(2 to 4 inches deep), and proper staking of trees when required. 3. Plant Materials:
MATERIALS REQUIRED Select strong, healthy native or desert adapted plant material.
See Cooperative Extension publication Plant Selection and
1. Soil Selecting Your Plants at: http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/
Native soil should be reasonably free of construction materials az1153.pdf .
and other debris. Ideally soil should be 18 to 24 inches deep. Soil
4. Tree Stakes and Ties:
imported to increase depth or to achieve other objectives should
be free of diseases, pests, weeds, debris, and should be similar to Wood or metal stakes can be used. Wood stakes are generally
native soil. Do not put a sandy soil on top of a clay soil or vice 2 inches in diameter. Tie material to fasten the trunk to the
versa. Your local nursery, landscape company or extension office stake should be smooth and broad to protect the trunk from
can estimate the type of soil you have from a sample. Cultivate physical damage. Suitable ties include material made from elastic
compacted soils to a depth of 8 to 10 inches. If you would prefer webbing or tape, cloth, rubber, or polyethylene. Wire covered
to determine your soil type without cost, please see the following with garden hose or polyethylene tape where it touches the
USDA website: http://soils.usda.gov/education/resources/ trunk is also used.
lessons/texture/ for easy-to-follow instructions on determining
soil texture.
5. Mulch: Tables 1. Calculations are based on loosening an area four times the
diameter of the rootball and application of surface mulch 3" thick.
Suitable surface applied organic mulch materials include
ground bark, wood chips, and coarse compost.
Nursery Width of Volume of
DRAINAGE TEST Mulch
Containers Tilled Area Required
Poor drainage can cause problems because roots are
damaged in soils that stay too wet for too long. Conduct a Gallons Feet Cubic Feet
drainage test if you have a shallow soil, a heavy clay soil, or
1 2.0 1.5
a compacted soil.
2 3.0 3.0
1. Test drainage by digging a hole approximately one 3 3.7 4.0
foot deep in dry soil. Fill hole completely with water
twice during the day. Drainage is poor if any water is still
5 4.0 4.5
standing 24 hours after the second filling. This can be done 7 4.7 8
in the planting hole as it moistens the planting area to 10 5.0 10
prevent dry soil absorbing water out of the root ball.
15 5.7 13
2. Chimney holes may improve poor drainage due to a
shallow, thin hard pan. These are holes dug through the plant the tree or shrub too deep. Structural roots should be
hard pan (Figure 1). Dig several chimney holes beside, not just below the soil surface. All grafted trees should have the
beneath, root ball to avoid root rot due to excess water. Fill graft union (where the root stock and the top (scion) meet)
these holes with the same soil used in the planting hole, above the final grade and with the graft union facing away
not gravel. Since it is impossible to determine the depth of from the afternoon sun.
any hardpan or caliche layer, drainage chimneys may not
always be practical where these layers are several feet thick. 3. The top of the root ball should be level with or slightly
above the finished grade to avoid crown rots and other
3. Trees and shrubs can be planted on a raised mound problems. Fill the hole with unamended soil. Do not pack
by adding soil to increase rooting depth and improve the soil.
drainage. Use soil that is similar to native soil and allow for 4. Remove the nursery stake and ties. Do not prune
settling. unnecessarily. Remove only dead, broken or diseased
PLANTING TREES AND SHRUBS branches using clean, sharp bypass pruners. Do not cover
wounds with sealant or paint.
1. Mark a circular area 3 to 4 times the diameter of the
plant root ball. Loosen this area to a depth no deeper than 5. Form an irrigation well or berm, if used, at the edge of the
the root ball. Walls of the undisturbed soil should be rough root ball (Fig. 1). Irrigate the plant and the entire tilled area.
and sloping outwardly. Dig a hole in the center of the tilled Apply enough water to thoroughly wet the soil to the depth
area slightly wider and no deeper than the root ball. of the root ball. This will remove air pockets (which can dry
out the soil and roots) without compacting the soil. This is
2. Always handle the plant by the container or the root ball, best done by hand watering with a hose if possible. More soil
never by the trunk or branches. Remove the plant from the may have to be added after the first irrigation. It is important
container with minimal disturbance to the root ball. Place to put water in the irrigation well for the first few weeks to
larger containers on their side and tap the sides and bottom. make sure the root ball is moist. If the irrigation well is wider
This will usually free the walls so you can slide the root ball than the root ball, it may stay dry even though the soil is
out. Always score the root ball to disturb the surface and to wet. Expand the irrigation well or adopt another method of
cut any circling roots. This encourages roots to grow into the irrigation once roots are growing into the surrounding soil.
surrounding soil. Make a vertical cut one-fourth to one half
inch deep four times around the sides and twice across the 6. Mulch the entire tilled area with two to four inches of
bottom. organic material. Keep mulch away from the trunk. If planting
in a lawn, try to keep the planting area free of grass by either
When planting balled and burlapped (B & B) plants, loosen hand weeding or careful applications of herbicide.
the burlap from around the stem, fold back the burlap or
remove and then cover with backfill soil. If there is a wire STAKING TREES
basket around the root ball, cut the top two or three rings of
wire off the basket prior to planting to prevent root damage. Trees are staked for support, anchorage or protection. Stake
trees only if they cannot stand without support or if they need
Bare root plants should be planted in the same way as B protection from other influences or are threatened by wind,
& B or container grown plants. Care should be taken not to frost heaving, or similar problems.

2 The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension

1. Use only two stakes. Place them outside the root ball and c Stake the young tree only if it needs support to stay upright
irrigation well at right angles to the prevailing wind. Make or anchored. Remove the stake 6 to 12 months after planting
sure stakes penetrate undisturbed soil at least six inches. to prevent girdling.

2. To determine the height to place the ties, hold trunk with c Use broad, smooth tree ties that will not damage the plant’s
one hand a few inches above ground. If trunk bends over, bark.
move up the trunk a few inches and try again. Continue c Irrigate the tree to settle the soil and remove air pockets, if
until you find the lowest point on trunk at which it will not possible hand water the first few times with a hose; adjust
bend. Place ties about six inches above this point. Use one the plant height as necessary.
set of ties only.
c Mulch the disturbed area to a depth of 3-4 inches taking care
3. Horticultural tape can be used to tie small trees to stakes. to keep the mulch material away from of the trunk.
Tie wire and webbing can be used on larger trees with thick
bark. If using tie wire and reinforced garden hose, thread wire c Form a berm or well that is wider than the tree canopy after
through the hose as shown. The garden hose should be just new roots are established outside the root ball.
long enough to loop around the trunk. Twist wires to keep the
garden hose from moving along the wire. The trunk should
not move inside the garden hose loop.

4. Fasten tie wires to stake so the cut ends are between the
stake and the tree, not exposed on the outside of the stake. C OLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE
AND LIFE SCIENCES
Twist wires to tighten. There should be enough slack to COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
allow the trunk and tree tie garden hose to move as a unit.
This gentle movement of the trunk will help develop trunk
caliper and taper.
The University of Arizona
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
5. Cut the stakes off below the canopy to prevent wounds Tucson, Arizona 85721
to branches.
Ursula Schuch
6. Inspect and loosen tie wires periodically as the tree grows Specialist and Professor, School of Plant Sciences
Jack Kelly
to avoid girdling the trunk . Remove stakes as soon as possible Former Associate Agent, Pima County Cooperative Extension
which is generally within a year. Always remove the nursery Jimmy Tipton
trunk stake at planting time. Former Arid Ornamentals Extension Specialist

Contact:
Summary Ursula Schuch
ukschuch@cals.arizona.edu
c Always choose healthy native or desert adapted plants that
are not damaged or overgrown, check for root binding. This information has been reviewed by University faculty.
cals.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/az1022.pdf
c Dig a shallow wide hole that is no deeper than the root ball.
Originally published: 1998
c Do not add soil amendments; use native soil for backfill. Other titles from Arizona Cooperative Extension can be found at:
cals.arizona.edu/pubs

Any products, services or organizations that are mentioned, shown or indirectly implied in this publication
do not imply endorsement by The University of Arizona.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Jeffrey
C. Silvertooth, Associate Dean & Director, Economic Development & Extension, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Arizona.
The University of Arizona is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion,
sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation in its programs and activities.

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