Tree Planting

 Why Green Team Tree Planting is Different...

The overwatering problem is epidemic in our Boise area. We honestly live in a desert only fertile thanks to the Snake River water shed. So to keep our lawns green; we have to overwater them. In the end, this is the main reason we kill our trees or make them sick.

Before planting, check the soil the tree is going into. Is it sandy like some of the areas above Eagle or up on the Boise foothills, or is it a hard heavy clay like we see on the bench?

Next is to see how well the soil holds the water. Two days after you've shut off the sprinkler system, go out with a simple potted plant water meter probe and stick it 6" in the ground, if it's pegged wet you have soil that holds the water too well, if it's medium it's probably a clay mix, dry and it's probably a sand base. If it's wet you will need to address drainage as discussed below, if it's dry you may need to increase the frequency that you water. 

Issues we see in traditional tree planting; the clay soil can act like a pot, the looser soil put around the tree has less resistance so water moves into this area but can not move away from the plant – overwatering the roots.







The loose soil also allows the tree to blow over easily like a ball and socket effect.