How to Plant a Tree
Hello—welcome to Garden View How-To. My name is Ian Alden from Garden View Nursery. Today I’m going to show you how to plant a tree correctly. Specifically, we’re planting a 15-gallon Fuyu persimmon.
The goal of this guide is to explain how and why to plant properly. Over the years I’ve seen people invest a lot of money in plants and end up disappointed—often because of planting mistakes. Let’s fix that.
Dig the Hole the Right Size
First, dig the hole. Ours is about 2½ to 3 feet wide and only as deep as the container—maybe even slightly shallower.
When we plant the tree, we want the root flare (where the trunk meets the soil) at ground level or slightly raised. It’s always better to be a little high than a little low. If you bury the trunk too deep, you can create conditions for crown/root rot and seriously damage (or kill) the tree.
If the tree ends up a little high, you can always finish by adding compost or mulch on top—just don’t bury the trunk flare.
Soil Amendment
Next, we’ll amend the soil we removed from the hole. Keep your excavated soil nearby—this is what we’ll blend with organic amendments before backfilling.
Soil Building Conditioner
The main amendment we’re adding is a soil-building conditioner (we like this G&B Organics product). It’s designed to improve tough clay soils by adding organic matter and helping the soil structure open up. Even in sandy soils, it can improve moisture retention and biology.
You can also use compost, planting mix, or other quality organic amendments. The key is to amend generously and mix thoroughly.
If you see white flecks in quality compost/conditioner, that can be beneficial fungal growth (often associated with healthy soil biology).
Worm Gro
Next, we add one of our favorites: Worm Gro (worm castings). Worm castings are packed with beneficial biology that helps “wake up” soils that are low in organic matter—common in many Southern California landscapes.
We’ll add about a quarter of the bag to our backfill mix. This helps microbes begin breaking down organic matter into plant-available nutrients.
Starter Fertilizer
Now we’ll add a starter fertilizer. This provides additional nutrients right at planting time. Some people avoid fertilizing at planting; in our experience, using a starter product correctly and not over-applying can be very effective.
For this 15-gallon tree, we’re adding about two handfuls into the soil mix. Always follow label directions—more isn’t better.
Kelp Meal
The last amendment we’ll add is kelp meal. It’s like icing on the cake: it provides a broad range of micronutrients and can help overall nutrient uptake and soil performance.
We’ll add another couple of handfuls. Then we mix everything thoroughly—like a big soil “cake mix.”
Tap and Gently Remove the Tree From the Pot
Lay the container on its side and tap the sides and bottom to loosen the root ball. With a healthy, solid root ball, the tree should slide out smoothly.
Additional Fertilizer (Optional)
Right before placing the tree in the hole, you can rub a small handful of starter fertilizer onto the root ball. This can put nutrients close to the roots and may introduce beneficial mycorrhizal fungi.
Mycorrhizae can form a symbiotic relationship with roots, helping the plant access water and nutrients more effectively. A little goes a long way—avoid overdoing it.
Backfill
Place the tree in the hole, confirm it’s slightly above grade at the root flare, then backfill with your amended soil mix. Fill in around the root ball and gently firm the soil to remove large air gaps (don’t over-compact).
Berm
It looks like the tree is done, but we have a couple more steps. Next, we’ll build a small berm (a low soil “lip”) to help hold water so it soaks into the root zone instead of running off.
Because we’re on a slight slope, we’re mainly building the berm on the downhill side. Make it wide rather than tight—watering a little wider encourages roots to grow outward. You want the tree to “chase” water into a broader root zone.
Mulch
Finally, sprinkle the last bit of soil-building conditioner on top as a light finishing layer, then add mulch. Mulch can be wood chips, bark, leaves—anything that protects the soil surface. Today we’re using gorilla hair (shredded redwood bark).
Keep mulch a few inches away from the trunk flare—don’t “volcano mulch.” The trunk needs to breathe.
At this point, the tree is planted: a wide, shallow hole; amended backfill; root flare slightly above grade; berm to capture water; and a top layer of mulch to protect the soil and help retain moisture.
Water
The last step is to water the tree in thoroughly. If rain is on the way, you can sometimes let the storm do the work—just make sure the root ball gets fully saturated during the first watering.
Fall and winter are ideal for planting deciduous trees in Southern California. Cool weather reduces stress and helps roots establish