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Planting new trees on your property provides an array of benefits, from shade and privacy to natural beauty. The team at P & M Garden Services in Eagle River, AK, wants to help your trees thrive. This garden center offers everything you need to keep these plants healthy for many years. Here, they provide a few helpful tips for planting and maintaining this new addition to your yard.

Choose the Right Location

Select an area that is 15 to 20 feet away from your home, driveway, sidewalk, and other trees to prevent root damage and overhanging branches. If you purchased a species that grows to be very tall, avoid power lines as well. Mark the planting site with a stake, then measure the tree’s root ball and use additional markers to create a circle around the stake that is two to three times the width of the ball. Finally, dig a hole that is deep enough to leave about 2 inches of the root ball above ground.

Expose the Roots Before Planting & Watering

garden center Eagle River AKGarden centers cover tree roots with burlap and wiring for protection until they are planted. When you’re ready to introduce the tree to its permanent home, remove these coverings and use a cultivator tool to loosen the ball.

To plant the tree, place it in the hole and refill the area with soil. Add water immediately, so the roots receive the oxygen and moisture they need to thrive. Water the plant every day for the first two weeks, then decrease the frequency to once a week for the first year. You will not need to water the tree after it sheds its leaves or any time rainfall is heavy.

Add Organic Mulch

Apply a layer of mulch around the tree’s base to seal in moisture, prevent weed growth, and maintain the soil temperature. Avoid placing mulch directly against the trunk, as this can cut off its circulation. Spread 2 to 4 inches of the material around the drip zone, or the distance the leaves extend outward. Never apply more than 4 inches of mulch, as this will attract pests and fungi.

Wait to Prune

Wait about a year to trim the tree, so you do not stifle its growth. Prune in the middle of winter or the early spring to encourage healthy development and remove diseased, dying, and dead branches. Garden center professionals advise against pruning in the fall, as this is when fungal spores pose the biggest threat to trees preparing for winter dormancy.

When you need the best selection of garden supplies and planting expertise, you can count on P & M Garden Services to have everything you need to take care of a new tree. They’ve been Eagle River’s preferred greenhouse and garden center for nearly 40 years, and the team is eager to help you get started. Call (907) 694-9293 to speak with a staff member, and visit their website to see what’s growing.

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