There are many benefits of planting dogwood trees, including environment & aesthetics. Therefore, if you want to know how to plant dogwood trees, this is the article for you.
Here we will pay attention to proper dogwood tree planting instructions along with tips that are required for success & healthy foliage.
Hence, if you are looking to add beauty & colors to your landscape while improving air & soil quality, read this article thoroughly. Let’s begin with learning how to plant dogwood trees.
Dogwood Tree Planting Instructions: How To Plant Dogwood Trees
Preparing for Planting
Before you start planting your dogwood tree, you must prepare the soil and the plant to ensure its success. To do that, there are a few steps that you need to take, like choosing the right time, location, and varieties and measuring & preparing the planting hole. Let’s talk about all of these in-depth first.
Choosing the Right Time & Location
I usually still like to plant my dogwood trees in the early spring when the tree is dormant. But you can do it in the fall as well. Planting the tree in the fall or spring season will give them enough time to establish its roots before the hot summer approaches.
It’s not only important to choose the right time but also the right spot. When looking for a perfect location to plant your dogwood tree, choose the one that receives partial shade or filtered Sunlight.
Also, note that Dogwood trees prefer well-drained soil. So it would help if you never planted dogwood in areas prone to flooding or standing water.
If you want to avoid making any mistake when planting this tree, you should consider reading “When to Plant Dogwood Trees?“
Selecting the Right Dogwood Tree
It is also important that you choose the right variety of dogwood trees. Some dogwood trees are better for a particular area than others. You should ask the nursery for the right variety of dogwood trees you should plant depending on your area’s soil type & weather conditions.
It would help if you also chose the one free from signs of disease or damage. While choosing a tree from the nursery, you need to go with one with a strong, central trunk and several branches with healthy leaves.
Choosing a tree that is the right size for your planting location is also a good idea. If you want to plant one in a small yard, go with the small dogwood tree variety. For larger landscapes, it’s also best to go with the larger trees.
To get more ideas, check my recent post on 11 Best Place To Plant Dogwood Tree.
Measuring and Preparing the Planting Hole
After choosing the right type of dogwood tree and planting location, you should measure the width & depth of your tree’s root ball of your tree, and then dig a hole that is at least twice as wide and just as deep.
You must provide your dogwood tree plenty of room/space to grow and establish itself in the soil.
Preparing the Soil
Now you will need to prepare the soil to plant your dogwood tree. Since dogwood trees like to grow on acidic soil with a pH between 5.0 and 6.5, you should aim to provide this too.
Firstly, you must test your soil pH level using a testing kit. You can get one online or at a local garden center if you need to know where to purchase one.
If you find the pH level very high, I will advise you to lower it by adding sulfur or peat moss to the soil. On the other hand, if the soil pH level is very low to grow dogwood trees, you can raise it by adding some limes.
Identifying and Addressing Soil pH Imbalances
If you don’t provide proper soil pH balance to your dogwood trees, it will greatly impact their growth and health. As per a North Carolina State University study, soil pH affects the availability of nutrients in the soil.
Not only that, but it can also impact your tree’s ability to absorb those nutrients. This is why experts recommend always addressing the soil pH imbalances to ensure the long-term health of your tree.
Planting the Dogwood Tree
Removing the Tree from the Container
After digging the right size of the whole according to your plant root ball, you must carefully remove your dogwood tree from its container.
While doing so, you need to be sure to keep the root ball intact. If you find your dogwood tree having circling or tangled roots, gently tease them apart to encourage outward growth.
Placing the Tree in the Hole
When planting your tree, please place it in the center of the planting hole to ensure the root ball top is level with the surrounding soil.
You must also use a level to check your tree alignment and adjust it as required. You can provide remote support to prevent it from bending or getting damaged via strong winds.
Backfilling and Watering the Hole
After placing the plant carefully, you must fill the planting hole with soil. You must remove any air pockets by tamping the soil down gently. After filling the hole, you must also thoroughly water your tree, ensuring the soil is moist but not soggy.
Mulching the Tree
Since you have just transplanted your dogwood tree, you want the moisture to be there for a while. It is best to add a layer of mulch around the base of your tree to retain moisture in the soil and protect its root from temperature fluctuation. While adding mulch, do not pile it up against the trunk.
Protecting the Tree from Wildlife
It is also important to properly protect your young trees against wildlife, especially deer if they are in high population in your area. If you don’t properly protect your dogwood tree from browsing, it may get severely damaged by wildlife.
I usually like to install fences and sometimes use a repellent spray when my trees are young to discourage animals, including deer, from eating the leaves & barks of my tree.
It would help if you also considered doing this & protect your tree to ensure success. Fortunately, I’ve recently shared an in-depth guide on How To Protect Dogwood From Deer for you to check.
Caring for the Dogwood Tree
Watering
Depending on the weather, you should adjust the frequency of water you are providing to your tree. During the rainy season, you must provide less water to them. In the winter months, you need to take care of the moisture level and make sure the top inch layer of soil is moist.
During dry spells and the hottest time of the day, you should provide some excess water and proper mulching around your dogwood tree base to retain moisture for longer. Depending on soil conditions and weather, it would help if you generally watered your dogwood tree regularly.
Fertilizing
It’s important to use a properly balanced fertilizer for dogwood trees and use it at the right time. Generally, it’s best to provide regular fertilization in the early spring to the dogwood trees. You should also provide them with light fertilization in the fall if required.
Pruning
It would help if you pruned your dogwood tree during the dormant season. If you don’t prune your tree, it will be susceptible to diseases and pest Infestation.
Plus, your tree will need to receive the proper amount of Sunlight and air circulation to all of its parts equally, which is required for perfect blooming during the growing season.
Make sure to remove any dead or diseased branches as soon as possible. General pruning practices should be done in late winter or early spring before the tree leaves.
Similar Post : How To Prune Red Osier Dogwood
Controlling Pests & Diseases
Sure, you are using proper pest & disease Control because dogwood trees are susceptible to several pests and diseases, including dogwood borers & powdery mildew.
You must regularly inspect your trees and look for signs of infestation to act promptly. If noticed, you should treat it with appropriate pesticides or fungicides to help prevent these problems.
Identifying & Addressing Nutrient Deficiencies
You should also pay attention to the nutrient content available in the soil for your tree. If your dogwood tree starts exhibiting signs of nutrient deficiency, like yellow leaves or stunted growth, get the soil tested.
Depending upon the type of nutrient deficiency, you need to use appropriate soil amendments or fertilization to address the problem.
5 Benefits of Planting Dogwood Trees
Environmental Benefits
Planting and growing dogwood trees will help you improve the air quality of your landscape by absorbing pollutants and releasing oxygen. They also provide shade and help reduce soil erosion.
Aesthetic Benefits
If you want to add a touch of natural beauty to your landscape or a focal point, consider having dogwood trees. Dogwood trees are priced for their beautiful flowers & distinctive bark.
Health Benefits
Few research has also proven that spending time in nature provides several health benefits to us. Therefore having such beautiful dogwood trees around will help you reduce stress & improve cognitive function.
Economic Benefits
Dogwood trees not only provide environmental & aesthetic benefits but also add good value to your property. According to local reports, property with dog trees can increase value by as much as 20%.
Importance for Wildlife Conservation
Lastly, these specimens will help you attract pollinators to your garden, which is very beneficial for fruiting trees & plants. The dogwood trees also serve as a habitat and food source for many varieties of wildlife, including insects & birds.
Not all insects are bad. You need beneficial insects to grow a successful dogwood tree with healthy foliage. Lastly, it would help if you considered planting a dogwood tree to help & support wildlife populations.
Conclusion
After reading this article, I hope you learned how to plant dogwood trees for success. If you follow all the dogwood tree planting instructions in this article, I can guarantee perfect success with your tree with lots of healthy foliage and bloom.
Handle your plant gently while transplanting it to your garden soil. You must also choose the right type of dogwood tree variety, location, and time to plant one in your garden or landscape.
Make sure to water your plant thoroughly & deeply after transplanting it. That soil must be well draining, which should never flood. If you follow all these steps, you will be up for success.
Just make sure you are providing proper coverage & protection to your young trees from weather events, wildlife, and weed growth. I have given my best to give you all the information you need to know on how to plant dogwood trees for success.
If you find this article helpful, then consider sharing. Your share will help many people learn about the proper dogwood tree planting instructions they should follow. Do check our other helpful guide on dogwood tree care & management shared on this website. See you in the next post, till then, take care and goodbye.