Planting a Maple

Feel for the top roots to determine how deep to plant your tree.

Most maple trees will grow best in Zones 4 through 7. However, the amur varieties will tolerate Zone 2 winters. When it comes time to shop for your tree, do your homework because each tree offers different qualities.

The sugar maple can reach heights of 100 feet. It's an excellent specimen if you want fabulous fall color, and is the best tree if you want to tap for that sweet maple syrup. The tree we're planting for this project is 'Autumn Blaze'. It's a cross between the red and silver maple. It's a vigorous tree and does well in poor soil.

As the case with any tree, before you dig, it's important to go over the checklist. Fall or spring is the best time to plant a tree. Your site should have plenty of sun, especially if you want good fall color. Plant in well-drained soil, and plant at least 20 feet away from the house. And don't forget to call the utility company to have them mark the power lines below ground as well as determine if you'll have enough clearance above.

Now you're ready to plant the tree. Typically, we've always told you to plant the tree as deeply as it is in the container. However, new research out of the University of Minnesota indicates that we're planting our trees too deeply. They have found that more trees are declining in health because they're planted too deeply.

The depth of the hole depends on where the first roots are. Find the first root that's coming off the trunk, and to do that, push a piece of coat hanger wire into the soil of the potted tree until you hit the first root. The first roots have to be just below the soil surface, and that's the way it needs to be planted in the ground. If you plant it too deeply, you're going to run into problems. You can see the root collar, the trunk enlarges and then you see the roots. That is where the soil line should be. In this case, about six to eight inches of soil needs to be removed from the top.

For this tree, the hole needs to be about a foot deep. Dig a saucer-shaped hole so the roots can spread out easily.

In this case, we had a lot of roots wrapped around that we had to tear apart. Is this going to hurt the tree? It's not going to be good for the tree, but in the long run, if you don't take those off, they're going to circle around as the trunk increases in size. So just be gentle. And get some water on it as soon as possible.

Now, backfill the hole. Once you get the tree planted, it's important to keep the tree well watered. And you may want to add a thick layer of mulch around the perimeter of the tree. This will help retain moisture. It also cuts down on weeds, and most importantly, saves the bark from mower or trimmer damage.

If you follow these tips and good luck prevails, you'll be able to enjoy the tree for years to come.