Tree Care Guide
“He who plants a tree, plants a hope.” ― Lucy Larcom
Knowing how to plant and maintain your tree is key to ensuring its long and beautiful life. This guide contains information and tips for planting, watering, fertilizing, and pruning your tree but is by no means exhaustive. Please use this information as well as information learned from other reputable sources along with the knowledge you have of your specific yard, soil type, and irrigation system to help successfully care for your tree.
Warranty
As a grower and supplier of trees in Central Texas, we only offer trees that are native or adapted to this area. While the tree is in our care, we go above and beyond to ensure our trees have the proper foundation for a long and healthy life. If the tree is planted and maintained correctly, it should provide you with years and years of shade and beauty. Since we do not have control over the tree’s new environment (soil, pests, irrigation…etc), we cannot guarantee the tree after the tree leaves our farm.
Our trees are not covered by a warranty and all sales are final.
Planting Your Tree
- Before planting, make sure the spot where you are planting the tree is suitable for the tree’s mature size and has good drainage. For crape myrtles, the planting spot should allow the tree to get full sun. Without adequate sunlight, a crape myrtle will not bloom well, if at all.
- General information on tree planting
- Breaking up roots prior to planting
- Tree Shock
Watering Your Tree
- General information on watering best practices:
- If the tree is planted outside of an automated irrigation zone, you can use a slow-release tree watering bag to keep the tree watered:
Fertilizing Your Tree
- General information
- The nutrient composition of fertilizers is represented by #-#-# or N-P-K where N stands for Nitrogen, P for Phosphorus, and K for Potassium. A 10-10-10 fertilizer would contain 10% Nitrogen, 10% Phosphorus, and 10% Potassium.
- (N) Nitrogen is what the plant uses for the foliage or leafy growth. Nitrogen is vital for the growth, development, and reproduction of plants. It is the main component of chlorophyll, the compound the plant uses to convert sunlight into energy.
- (P) Phosphorus is important for root development and good blooming.
- (K) Potassium regulates photosynthesis and boosts the resistance to disease.
- Avoid fertilizing trees and shrubs stressed by drought during the summer months. If water is unavailable, do not fertilize at all because plants will be unable to absorb the nutrients. Please make sure to give your trees ample water (see watering tree section above).
- Fertilizer to use
- We recommend a multi-purpose fertilizer 10-10-10 in slow-release format.
- When to apply
- For crapes
- 2x a year: mid-March and late July
- For oaks & maples
- 1x a year: mid-March
- Follow the product directions and avoid over-fertilization. Not only will over-fertilization stress the tree, but it will also cause excessive growth at the expense of blooms for crapes.
- For crapes
Pruning Your Tree
- If you are in doubt about how to prune your tree, please consult a tree trimming professional.
- Crape Myrtles
- Oaks
AG Extension Office – Soil Testing
- The local ag extension office can help you learn about your soil and determine how to create the best environment for tree.
- Visit https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/solutions/soil-testing/ to learn more.