Why plant trees in metro Detroit?
Planting a tree is a relatively simple step that a gardener can take to help cool their neighborhood, mitigate against air pollution, create food for wildlife and provide some shade for their house or apartment building. But successfully growing a tree takes a bit of planning and a commitment to staying on top of watering for the first year.
What follows are some tips on what large and small trees work best in metro Detroit and the steps to take to make sure your plantings thrive.
When is the best time for tree planting in Michigan?
Spring and fall are the best times to plant trees in Michigan because the cooler weather makes it easier to keep a tree watered. This year’s spring is quickly turning into a blazing summer, so if you decide to plant now, keep in mind that you’ll need to be extra diligent about watering.
Many gardeners prefer fall tree planting because it gives trees longer to root out into the soil before they’re threatened by the water stress of a hot summer. Bill Schneider, owner of Wildtype Native Plant Nursery in Mason, Michigan, who has worked extensively in metro Detroit, told Planet Detroit that with fall tree plantings, gardeners generally don’t have to worry about watering.
Another bonus of fall tree planting is that trees and shrubs are often on sale at a steep discount as nurseries prepare for winter.
Where should I plant my tree?
It may be easier to figure out where you want a tree and then select a species rather than pick out a plant and try to find the right place for it. For example, large trees like oaks are great for shade, but shouldn’t be planted under low power lines, while shady areas may be best for understory trees like redbuds and dogwoods.
Gardeners should also check for gas lines before planting by calling Miss Dig (811), a service which will come out and mark where gas lines are present.
What’s the correct way to plant a tree?
Dig a hole at least as deep as the pot the tree came in, or the root ball if it comes in burlap. The hole should be two to three times as wide as the container. If roots are circling the bottom of the container, tease them apart so the plant can properly root out as it adjusts to life outside its pot.
In Detroit’s heavy clay soils, Schneider said he tries to dig out an area three times as large as the container and will use a spading fork to break up the soil at the bottom of the hole to improve drainage.
It’s important to find the root flare, where the top few roots meet the soil, and place this level with the ground or slightly above. Center the tree in the hole and place it so its most appealing angle or “front” faces in the direction that it will be seen from most often.
Backfill with the dirt from the hole, periodically tamping the soil down with your foot to make sure there are no air pockets and ensure the tree is well anchored. Schneider said he will often dig a shallow moat around the outer edge of the tree planting area after he has filled the hole in and before mulching. This helps catch water running away from the trunk and infiltrates it into the root zone as the tree is getting established.
Larger trees in windy areas may require staking, which can be done with stakes placed just outside the planting hole and a strap loosely tied to the tree below the first branch. Stakes should be removed after the first year.
After the tree is planted and the soil is firmed down, spread a layer of mulch several inches deep around the base of the tree. Mulch can be crucial for your tree’s success, trapping moisture, suppressing weeds, and protecting the tree from lawn equipment. Mulch should extend two to three feet from the trunk of the tree, but not touch the trunk itself because this can lead to disease issues.
Avoid using fresh wood chips under trees or other plants. These can temporarily up nitrogen in the soil, which growing plants need.
How do I care for a tree after planting?
Water the tree well after planting, preferably with a slow drip of water over several hours. This can be done either by placing a hose near the trunk of the tree and letting it drip or by purchasing a “Treegator” watering bag or similar item that slowly releases water. These irrigation bags can be useful for providing slow and even watering until trees are established. Alternately, water the tree with a water can or spray hose set on a low setting, taking time to make sure the ground is fully saturated.
Trees need roughly an inch of rain a week during the growing season, and this is especially critical when new trees are getting established. If there isn’t enough rain to keep new tree plantings moist, continue to water deeply every week or so. And don’t rely on sprinklers to water trees, which will only provide a light surface watering suited to grass and small plants not the deep watering that helps trees root out into the surrounding soil.
After about a year, a tree shouldn’t need any additional water, unless it’s experiencing extreme drought stress.
Which trees can I plant in southeast Michigan?
Many trees are considered native to the area and planting a diversity of natives can help nourish the birds, bees and other wildlife that also call the area home or pass through during seasonal migrations.
However, with the climate changing and some species migrating north, it may also make sense to look at “near-native” plants like American persimmon and yellowwood, which grow well in Michigan, but haven’t historically called the area home. Schneider said that many native and near-native plants also thrive in suboptimal conditions, making it easier for the gardener to keep them alive.
If you’re looking at trees that aren’t native, check the United States Department of Agriculture’s plant hardiness zones when considering what trees to plant. Metro Detroit is now considered a 6b.
What are some good large trees for Michigan?
Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus), tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) and oaks like swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor), burr oak (Quercus macrocarpa), red oak (Quercus rubra) and chinquapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii), are among the trees that Schneider has had the most success in Detroit.
He said that maples have tended to do less well in Detroit’s heavy soils, although red maple (Acer rubrum) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum) are native to the area and grow just fine in some places.
Oaks and sycamores can grow very quickly, Schneider said. He added that smaller and cheaper trees grown in containers often grow more quickly than larger specimens in burlap, potentially offsetting the benefit of starting with a bigger tree.
What are some good small trees to plant?
Michigan gardeners are fortunate to have many smaller trees for planting under large shade trees, next to buildings or under utility lines. These include several species of serviceberry (Amelanchier), which often have brilliant autumn foliage, bear flowers in the spring and produce fruit that’s tasty for both humans and wildlife.
Redbud (Cercis canadensis) is another good small tree, which can grow in sun or shade. It has attractive, heart-shaped leaves and reddish-purple flowers. Both redbuds and serviceberries look good as multi-trunk specimens that can create a screening effect.
Musclewood or American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana) is also attractive as multi-trunk planting, particularly because of the striated appearance of its wood. This combines with smooth silvery bark to make the tree especially appealing in winter when it will often hold onto its golden, dead leaves.
For those looking for a more adventurous small to medium-sized tree, pawpaws (Asimina triloba) are attractive native plants that produce a delicious fruit with a flavor like custard However, gardener needs to plant several of these if she hopes to get fruit and these plants can also be difficult to establish, requiring extra water to get through their first year. Once in place, they tend to grow vigorously and can send up new shoots to create a patch of trees.
More native trees that may work in metro Detroit can be found here and here.
This article first appeared on Planet Detroit and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.