Say Goodbye To Gravel: Here's The Only Thing A Newly Planted Tree Needs At The Bottom Of Its Hole

Planting a tree in your yard is a great way to add some lovely shade, and it shows that you're planning for the future. A well-cared-for and properly planted tree should live happily in your garden for many years, even after you've moved on to another home. To give that tree the best start, you want to ensure that you plant it correctly and avoid one common mistake that some people make when trying to dig the perfect planting hole. Don't add gravel to the bottom because the only thing newly planted tree roots need is undisturbed soil.

That's right! Adding gravel to the bottom of the hole doesn't actually help with drainage, as some people believe, unless you also install a drainage system to take excess water away. The practice of putting rocks in a planting hole is a horticultural myth that has been passed down through the generations, but we now know that this does not help a young tree get established. What gravel in the base of a hole will actually do is allow the water to pool, meaning that roots from the newly planted tree will be more likely to sit in water. This is similar to the myth about adding gravel to the base of a container, which creates a distinct, separate layer that water cannot move freely through. If you do have compacted soil that doesn't drain well, you may want to take extra steps to prep your yard's soil well before planting the tree.

Preparing the planting hole correctly is crucial, and it's actually not that difficult if you just remember a few things. The first point to keep in mind is that the bulk of a tree's roots are lateral, and grow horizontally to go in search of nutrients and water. For this reason, you want to make the hole two to three times wider than the root ball of the tree. What this does is soften up the ground around the tree and allow the young roots to easily grow and expand into the surrounding soil. You also should rough up the sides of the planting hole so that they're not smooth and compacted, especially if you're using an auger to dig.

When it comes to depth, you only want the hole as deep as the current root ball, so that the tree's collar sits at the same level as it did in the pot. The other thing you want to avoid doing is loosening the soil at the bottom of the hole, as this could allow the root ball to sink as it settles and can result in the tree being planted too deeply. Finally, just put the excavated soil back in the hole without adding any amendments if possible, and pat it down firmly with your hand or foot. However, if your soil is heavy clay, you can add around 25% compost to the backfill material, but make sure that you extend this out past the root ball. Be sure to water well after planting, as underwatering is one of those mistakes everyone makes when planting a tree.