Episode 908 - Homegrown: How to Plant a Tree  

Master Gardener, Fred Hoffman shops for the perfect tree and demonstrates how to plant it. Save money, stay healthy and add value to your home by planting a tree in your very own backyard.

Tips on How To Plant a Tree by Fred Hoffman

• Does the area you are going to put the tree get full sun or part sun? Match the area to the sunlight requirements of the tree.
• Be sure the area has good drainage. If the area is not suitable, consider planting the tree in a raised bed or on a raised mound.
• It’s best to do your digging when the soil is slightly damp, not muddy. Water the area the day before.
• Tie the tree to the stakes using old nylons or another flat, wide, ribbon-like article.
• Tie loosely in a figure-eight configuration at the lowest point on the trunk where the tree will stand upright.
• Remove the stakes as soon as the tree will stand on its own, usually not more than one year.
• Trees provide one of the best returns on investment for home improvements because they keep on growing (literally) after the purchase is made. Liveable Places News reports that home sales prices increase $508 (in current dollars) for each front yard tree. Other studies show that people are willing to pay 3 to 7 percent more for a house in a well-treed neighborhood. On average, trees add between 5 and 7 percent to the value of a residential lot.

Additional Info:
www.farmerfred.com

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