Poor Care After Planting

Poor planting technique

Key Points

• Landscape plants are an investment. Proper care after planting will help them get off to a healthy start. 
• During the establishment period (about 2 years), a transplanted tree or shrub needs extra care. Lack of care and close attention could lead to failure.
• Regular watering is especially important to promote growth and to compensate for the reduced root system. A field-grown tree can lose up to 90% of its root system in the transplanting process. Too much or too little water during the establishment period is the most common cause of poor plant growth. 
• Until a tree/shrub is fully established, the growth rate is slower than normal. A large tree requires a longer establishment period than a small tree, generally one year for each inch of trunk diameter.

Additional Information

Care of trees and shrubs

Rev. 2019