First, we are working as stewards of our community, so we need to identify planting needs and priorities at the community level. These areas can be identified using a tree canopy cover assessment, a knowledegable community member or completing a simple survey. The following is a list of priorities for the available planting areas at the community level.

• Public property / private property
  • There is more space for available on private property, however municipalities control what happens on public property so start there first.
• Places where people live, play and work
  • Protect the health of our people, particularly at-risk populations. Plant trees along residential streets, where people congregate, neighborhoods parks and schools.
• Places where shade would be beneficial
  • Shade reduces temperature extremes, lowers heating and cooling costs, and prolongs the lifespan of the infrastructure. Plant trees along streets, around and in parking lots, impervious surfaces and in proximity to buildings.
• Watersheds and areas where water accumulates
  • Protect watersheds by reducing stormwater runoff.
  • Establish and maintain tree buffer areas bordering water. Integrate trees where flooding is a problem.

Planting sites

Within a planting area there are different types of planting sites. The spatial and environmental conditions of the sites dictate tree species selection, planting specifications and maintenance needs.

• Unrestricted sites
  • Large open spaces offer the opportunity to significantly increase canopy cover by planting large numbers of trees and/or larger trees species. Large trees provide the most ecosystem services and benefits. If the site can be protected from human activity, planting seedlings is a sound, low-cost planting strategy. Trees on these sites will live longer and require the least amount of maintenance over their lifetimes.

• Restricted sites
  • Underground, surface and overhead infrastructure such as underground and overhead utilities, hardscapes and buildings limit the space and the soil volume available for a tree to grow. Both restrictions limit the mature size of trees suitable for planting. The environmental conditions at these sites are also harsh, further restricting the species of trees suitable for these sites. Trees in these sites will require the most maintenance over their life and have a shorter lifespan.

• Placement
  • Here you will consider and follow standards for the placement of a tree relative to other trees and elements of infrastructure. Adequate spacing between trees reduces competition for water and nutrients. Selection of the planting site must ensure the tree doesn't adversely impact the urban infrastructure as it grows, such as driveway aprons, limiting traffic intersection sight lines and interfering with traffic control devices, buildings and utilities. 

Once you have selected a planting site, what tree species do you plant?

Grab the N.C. Forest Service Urban Tree List. This list of trees has all the information you need to make a tree selection. Through the selection process, you should arrive with several choices. This is desirable. At any given time, the market supply of a tree species may be limited. In addition, you should work to integrate tree species diversity within a planting area and the overall community to limit potential impacts of insect pests and disease. The following summarizes the tree selection process using our urban tree list.

• Region – Look up your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone. Using the selection tool in the respective region (Coastal, Piedmont, Mountain) column, sort the list to display just the trees in your region.
• Site/Culture
  • This section notes the planting sites the tree is suitable for, the mature size of the tree and environmental tolerances/needs of the tree. The N. C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs soil webpage has resources for evaluating soil conditions in your area.
• Attributes
  • This section notes attributes of the tree that may present a challenge or be desired.

Equally important to all the decisions you have made to this point is a proper tree planting process. This process includes procurement, planting and post-planting care.

Purchase Quality Tree Nursery Stock

Garbage in, garbage out. Poor nursery stock not only has a low transplant survival rate, but will also come with poor branching structure. This translates to higher pruning costs and the potential for storm damage now and in the future. You may purchase trees from a local nursery or through a supply and services contract. Trees should meet the ANSI Z60.1 American Standard for Nursery Stock.

Select Tree Nursery Stock Type and Size

Tree nursery stock is sold and packaged as bare root, containerized and balled and burlap (B&B). All are acceptable choices. There are advantages and disadvantages to each. A general rule is that the larger the plant material the lower the survival rate, and the price increases exponentially with size.

Tree Planting

With basic training, the proper equipment and interest, anyone can plant a tree properly. The limiting factors are the size of the nursery stock, type of planting site and the equipment needed. Proper handling and care of the trees during delivery will reduce transplant loss as will following tree planting specifications designed for the site type.

If you will be contracting out the work, there are two common contract options: supply only, and supply and plant. With a supply-only contract you will need to identify who will plant the trees. The most useful is a term contract as it can be used for multiple years. Specify expectations and confirm that your contractor is qualified.

Qualified supervision is required for successful tree planting. Your supervisor should have training and experience in selecting quality plant material and planting.

• Inspect plant material at the nursery or when it is delivered, and reject poor quality.
• Supervise the storage and handling of plant material and tree planting to ensure it is completed properly.

Post-Planting Care

First Year: Don’t fertilize. Prune dead branches only. New trees are thirsty! Check and water the tree regularly (weekly). Allow the soil to dry between waterings. Too little or too much water can kill a tree. Wilting leaves can be a symptom of either condition. Dig down into the soil at the margins of the planting area. Gather and ball some soil in your hand:

• If the soil crumbles, water.
• If the soil balls in your hand, don’t water.
• If the soil is soggy wet, don’t water and allow to dry out.

Second Year: Don’t fertilize. Prune dead branches only. Continue the watering prescription above.

Years Three to Five: Continue the watering prescription above. If the tree crown is adding new growth, your tree is ready for train pruning! Training is selective pruning that helps a tree grow a sound branching structure and form. A slow-release balanced fertilizer may be applied in accordance with the label.

To find tree-planting standards and specifications, visit our U&CF Standards and Specifications webpage under the Urban Forestry section.