How to Plant a Tree or Shrub in Fall, Step by Step

Dig 2 to 3 times as wide as the root ball and no deeper, set the root flare at or just above the ground, backfill with the soil you dug out, soak it, and...

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trees shrubs fall planting how to

The Short Answer

Dig wide, not deep. Set the root flare level with the ground or a little above it. Backfill with the soil you dug out, soak the root ball, and mulch without touching the trunk. Skip the fertilizer.

First check that it is not too late in your zone on the Fall Tree and Shrub Planting Desk. The desk has this checklist with boxes you can tick.

Step by Step

  1. Call 811 before you dig. Utility marking is free (NC State).
  2. Find the root flare. That is where the trunk widens into the top roots. Nursery plants are often potted too deep, so scrape soil off the top of the root ball until you find it (Clemson). It should end up level with the ground or 1 to 2 inches above it (UMass, UF/IFAS).
  3. Dig wide, not deep. Make the hole 2 to 3 times as wide as the root ball (UF/IFAS, NC State). Clemson says 2 to 5 times, and wider is better. Never dig deeper than the root ball. Leave the bottom firm so the plant does not sink.
  4. Fix circling roots. Shave off the outer inch of a potted root ball with a sharp shovel (UF/IFAS), or tease out roots that circle and cut them where they start to circle (Clemson). Circling roots can strangle the trunk years later.
  5. Balled and burlapped plants: set the plant in the hole, then remove the burlap, straps, and twine (Clemson).
  6. Backfill with the soil you dug out. Do not add compost or amendments to the hole. Roots stay in rich, loose fill instead of growing out (Clemson, NC State). Water halfway through backfilling and let it drain, then finish (UMass).
  7. Soak the root ball. Water slowly until the root ball and the soil around it are wet (UF/IFAS).
  8. Mulch, but not on the trunk. For trees, spread 3 to 4 inches in a circle at least 4 times as wide as the root ball (Morton Arboretum). For shrubs, 2 to 3 inches (Clemson). Keep it a few inches off the trunk.
  9. Skip the fertilizer. It can hurt new roots (NC State).
  10. Stake only if needed. Stake a top heavy tree or one in a windy spot, and take the stakes off within a year (UF/IFAS).

After Planting

Keep watering until the ground freezes in cold zones, or through dry spells in warm ones. Amounts and schedules are in how to water new trees until the ground freezes.

The Winter Mulch Desk says new trees and shrubs can be mulched right away, before the ground freezes.

Next Steps

Sources