How to Plant a Tree for Earth Day

Looking for an Earth Day activity to share with your children? How about planting a tree? Perfect Supplements sponsored and organized the planting of a beautiful Dogwood tree at our local church.

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This was truly a family affair. Several families, with children of all ages, pitched in to help.

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How to Plant a Tree

1. Pick a tree that is native to the area. We used 2 cubic feet of mulch for protection.

2. Identify the location on the tree where the base of the trunk “flares” into the roots.

3. Dig the hole for the tree such that the “flare” remains ABOVE the ground.

Tip 1: Use your shovel handle to measure the depth from the “flare” to the bottom of the root ball.

Tip 2: Lay one shovel across the hole, then use the shovel handle measurement from tip 1 to check the depth from the bottom of the hole to the handle stretching across the hole.

4. Open up the burlap wrap around the root ball, and use the corners of the burlap to lift the tree into the hole. Add or remove dirt below the root ball, as needed, to ensure the flare is at the correct depth. Trim the excess burlap.

5. Cover with dirt up to the bottom of the flare. Stamp the dirt to compact it.

6. Now cover the area around the base of the tree with mulch. The shape of the mulch should be a saucer, with only about an inch high of mulch within 6 inches of the trunk, and then increasing to a height of 8 inches around the perimeter of the leaves of the tree.

7. Still have questions? Read a full description about planting trees at Wikihow.

Pea Plants are Sprouting!

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I mentioned in last week’s post that our family sowed some peas. Well, despite the unusually cold weather, the sprouts are starting to break through the ground. Here’s a pic of our first sprout. Ah, the miracle of life.

What are you planting this season?


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