Planting a tree and creating a tree pit

A tree is usually an investment for your entire gardening life. How deep should a tree be planted? How large does the planting hole need to be? What should you consider when planting? How do you create a tree pit, and why should you do it? We’ll answer all these questions about planting trees in the following text. 

1. Air quality: Trees absorb CO₂ and release clean oxygen. 

2. Design: Trees add structure and focal points to your garden. 

3. Cooling: Through their shade and transpiration, they cool the surroundings. 

4. Well-being: Trees and nature have a positive effect on mental health. 

5. Habitat: Countless animals find food and shelter in, on, and beneath trees. 

6. Erosion control: Tree roots stabilise the soil. 

7. Dust filtration: Trees act as the green lungs of the Earth, filtering dust from the air. 

8. Tranquility: Forests are places of peace, and even single trees help absorb noise. 

9. Water quality: Trees filter and purify water and slow down rainfall. 

10. Climate change: With all these benefits, trees help counteract climate change. 

When buying a tree, you have the choice between two types: bare-root, meaning without soil, or container-grown, with soil around the root ball. While bare-root plants are only available between October and April and are more affordable, container-grown trees can be purchased all year round. 

The best time to plant a tree is during its dormant period, roughly from late October to early March. However, the soil must not be frozen, as your tree could either freeze or dry out. Planting in the dry, warm spring or hot summer is also possible, but it requires much more care to ensure the tree establishes well, and there’s a higher risk of diseases and pests. Additionally, consider the tree species, as they have different preferences. 

When planting, consider how large the tree will grow, as this determines the distance to buildings, walls, or other plants. If planted too close, it can appear cramped, plants will compete with each other, growth will be stunted, or the tree may block sunlight from windows. 

Short on space? Then narrow columnar trees, globe-shaped trees, or trees suited for small gardens are the perfect solution. 

A planting prune is usually done at the nursery, but you should remove any damaged, crossing, or weak shoots. If you want to learn more about pruning trees and shrubs, you’ll find plenty of information here. 

If the roots of your bare-root tree are very long, trim them by about a third using clean, sharp garden shears, such as the EasyPrune by Bosch. Also, remove any damaged or dried-out roots. 

Remove the grass or existing vegetation, then dig the planting hole large enough for the roots to spread out comfortably. For dry, sandy, or compacted soil, the hole should be twice as wide and deep as the root ball. In moist, well-aerated soil, it’s sufficient for the planting hole to be only slightly larger than the root ball. 

Loosen the edges and the bottom of the planting hole to allow the roots to grow easily into the surrounding soil. If the soil is very clayey and heavy, mix sand or expanded clay into the excavated soil to ensure good aeration. 

Larger saplings benefit from a support stake. Position it about 10 cm away from the tree and at the centre of the planting hole. Now place the tree in the hole: the top of the root ball should be level with the surrounding soil. Carefully add soil between the roots bit by bit and gently firm the ground with your foot. Finally, loosely tie the trunk to the stake at the bottom third using jute twine. 

With the remaining soil, create a small mound about 20 cm away from the tree to form a watering ring. It’s crucial that the tree receives sufficient water after planting and throughout its first year. Water it thoroughly right after planting. 

During the establishment phase, but also later, no plants should grow too close to the tree to avoid root competition. By creating a tree pit, you keep an area of at least 50 cm around the trunk free from vegetation. Regularly remove weeds – Bosch garden hand tools can help with this task. To protect the soil and retain moisture, you can mulch the tree pit with wood chips, bark mulch, or compost, or in autumn, with leaves. These can be blown, vacuumed, and shredded using the UniversalGardenTidy. 

Once the tree has established itself, you can plant the tree pit with shallow-rooting perennials or bulb flowers. These can thrive in relatively dry and shaded conditions under a tree.  

If you'd like to know more about when to carry out specific gardening tasks, you can find the right times to do the important activities in our garden calendar.