Planting Oak Trees
Planting an Oak tree can be easy and simple with the right tools. These majestic trees start small but can grow to be over 100 feet tall! The tools required are a digging shovel, a wire cutter, a flexible tape measure, and a knife or scissors. When you purchase them, Oak trees will most likely be wrapped in burlap, with a wire cage keeping the roots in control. To start, pick a place to plant your tree. Make sure that it is at least 15 feet from any other plants you have. Oak tree roots expand quickly and go both wide and deep underground.
Measure the root ball on the tree. Start from the top edge of the soil, and go to the deepest point of the burlap, which is often the center. The next step is to measure across the ball, noting the breadth. Using those vertical and horizontal measurements, plan and dig your hole. The hole for the tree should be 3 inches wider than the root ball. When digging down, make sure that the hole for the tree is 1 inch shallower than the root ball. You want the dirt surrounding the trunk to be flush with the ground. If you bury a tree too deep it will not be able to grow correctly.
Once your digging is complete, slowly work the tree towards the hole, rolling it in a side to side motion. When putting the tree into the ground, ensure that the trunk is perpendicular to the ground, because no one wants a crooked tree! Once in the earth, use the soil from the hole to fill in the gaps around the tree ball. Now that the tree is buried, the key to having the root structure grow is watering, which should be done every day for about 10 minutes.
