Plant a Small Residential Tree

A. Finished Project Specification

Deliverable: one small residential tree planted at a verified location, with the root flare at or slightly above the approved finished grade, corrected root system, firm undisturbed hole base, staged backfill and watering, mulch clear of the trunk, staking installed only where justified, and a completed Tree Planting Record.

B. Planting Section Schedule

Section	Required Content	Source Steps
Species and Site Review	Mature height and spread, root behavior, sun, soil, drainage, water, utility, structure, pavement, and overhead clearance; invasive or prohibited status	Steps 1–2
Stock Inspection	Root ball, trunk, leaders, branches, root flare, container, burlap, basket, and moisture condition; acceptance or rejection	Steps 3–4
Location Verification	Proposed location placed and checked against mature clearance and utility clearance	Steps 5–7
Hole Preparation	Wide hole with a firm undisturbed base, no deeper than the located root-flare elevation requires	Steps 8–9
Root Flare and Root Correction	Root flare located, excess soil removed, circling and girdling roots corrected, burlap and basket material removed or folded back as specified	Steps 10–14
Setting and Orientation	Tree set upright with the root flare at or slightly above finished grade; trunk and canopy oriented	Steps 15–16
Backfill and Watering	Backfill with approved site soil, firmed lightly, watered in stages without a bathtub effect	Steps 17–19
Mulch and Staking	Mulch applied in a broad ring away from the trunk; staking installed only where justified, with removal date recorded	Steps 20–23
Inspection and Documentation	Root flare, trunk stability, vertical alignment, mulch, water, stakes, and clearances inspected; species, source, planting date, and establishment plan documented	Steps 24–25

C. Record and Reference Takeoff

• Site records: Chapter 1 Landscape Readiness Worksheet, tree schedule, planting plan, and any drainage or grading detail affecting the planting location.
• Utility locating: confirmed request submitted for the specific planting location, with markings verified present before digging.
• Nursery documentation: plant tag, species identification, and nursery source record retained with the Tree Planting Record.
• Photographic record: photographs of the root flare after excavation, the corrected root system, the set tree, and the completed mulch ring.

D. Acceptance Standards

Check	Standard
Location and clearance	Mature clearance from foundations, sidewalks, driveways, roofs, utilities, sight lines, septic systems, and neighboring property verified and no unresolved conflict remains
Root flare elevation	Root flare exposed and set at or slightly above the approved finished grade; not buried and not exposed above the specified tolerance
Root condition	No circling, girdling, or kinked roots remain uncorrected; wire baskets, twine, and tags removed as specified
Hole base	Firm undisturbed native soil at the hole bottom; hole no deeper than the located root-flare elevation requires
Trunk stability and alignment	Trunk plumb and stable in the hole before and after backfilling; no lean introduced during backfill
Mulch	Applied in a broad ring at the specified depth, kept clear of the trunk; no mulch volcano
Staking	Installed only where a documented justification exists; flexible ties used; removal date recorded
Documentation	Species, nursery source, planting date, and establishment plan recorded on the Tree Planting Record

E. Species Review, Stock Inspection, and Location

1. Review tree species, mature height and spread, root behavior, sun, soil, drainage, water, utilities, structures, pavement, and overhead clearance. Use the tree schedule and planting plan; do not rely on general impressions of the species.
2. Confirm the tree is not invasive, prohibited, or unsuitable. Check the species against local restricted-plant lists before proceeding.
3. Inspect the root ball, trunk, leaders, branches, root flare, container, burlap, basket, and moisture. Record condition on the Tree Planting Record.
4. Reject severely girdled, damaged, unstable, diseased, or dried stock. Do not attempt to correct stock that fails this inspection; obtain replacement stock instead.
5. Place the tree at the proposed location. Set the tree, still in its container or burlap, at the marked planting point.
6. Verify mature clearance from foundations, sidewalks, driveways, roofs, utilities, sight lines, septic systems, and neighboring property. Compare the placement against the mature-size figures reviewed in Step 1 and the Chapter 1 findings.
7. Confirm utility clearance. Verify utility-locating markings are present and valid for this specific location before digging.

F. Hole Preparation and Root Correction

1. Dig a wide planting hole with a firm undisturbed base. Widen the hole well beyond the root ball while leaving the base soil uncompacted by digging but not loosened.
2. Do not dig deeper than the root-flare elevation requires. Check hole depth against the located flare, not against the container height.
3. Remove the tree from the container or prepare balled-and-burlapped material using the approved sequence. Support the root ball fully during removal; do not pull or lift by the trunk.
4. Locate the true root flare. Probe or brush away surface soil at the base of the trunk until the flare is visible.
5. Remove excess soil from the top of the root ball where needed. Continue until the flare is exposed at the surface of the root ball.
6. Correct circling and girdling roots using the approved method. Cut, straighten, or remove roots that circle the root ball or cross and constrict other roots or the trunk.
7. Remove or fold back burlap, twine, and basket material as specified. Cut and remove wire baskets and synthetic burlap in full; fold back natural burlap from the top and sides of the root ball as specified for the planting method.

G. Setting, Backfill, Watering, Mulch, and Staking

1. Set the tree upright with the root flare at or slightly above the approved finished grade. Check elevation against the hole edge and the surrounding grade using a level or straightedge.
2. Orient trunk and canopy. View the tree from the primary viewing direction and rotate it in the hole before backfilling begins.
3. Backfill with approved site soil. Add soil in stages around the root ball, working it into voids without dropping large clods against the trunk.
4. Firm lightly and water in stages. Firm each backfill lift only enough to eliminate large air pockets, then water to settle the soil before adding the next lift.
5. Avoid creating a bathtub effect with overamended soil. Backfill with the native site soil removed from the hole rather than heavily amended soil unless the approved plan specifies otherwise.
6. Apply mulch in a broad ring while keeping it away from the trunk. Maintain the specified depth and keep mulch off the trunk and root flare.
7. Stake only if wind, root-ball instability, or site conditions justify it. Do not stake automatically; document the specific condition that justifies staking when it is used.
8. Use flexible ties and prevent bark damage. Attach ties loosely enough to allow trunk movement and growth without cutting into bark.
9. Record stake-removal date. Enter the planned removal date on the Tree Planting Record at the time staking is installed.

H. Inspection and Documentation

1. Inspect root flare, trunk stability, vertical alignment, mulch, water, stakes, and clearances. Confirm every acceptance standard in Section D before closing out the project.
2. Document species, nursery source, planting date, and establishment plan. Complete the Tree Planting Record and retain it for use by Chapter 17, Chapter 18, and Chapter 19.