Tree Planting Tool

Hole size, spacing, mulch and watering for the tree you're planting.

More detail in the tree planting guide.

Sources

Site Details

Used for every result below.

Location

Hardiness zone

Units

Perc test (in/hr)

What is a perc test?

How fast your soil drains. Dig a hole about 12 in deep where the tree is going, fill it with water and let it drain all the way out, then fill it again and measure how far the water drops in one hour. Enter that drop in inches.

Under 1 in/hr drains poorly: set the ball 2 to 3 in high, or plant on a mound under 0.5. Over 6 is sandy soil that needs more frequent watering. This field is optional.

Soil type Not sure? Web Soil Survey ↗

Exposed or windy site

Zone is estimated from your location (US ZIP tables, or 10 years of local climate history elsewhere) and can be off at higher elevations. Set it by hand if you know your USDA zone.

Tree Selection

Tree Only show recommended

Planting Time

Preparing the area

Planting hole

Stock type

Container size

Trunk caliper (in)

Caliper is measured 6 in above the ground, or 12 in above on trunks over 4 in. Ball sizes follow ANSI Z60.1.

Spacing and setbacks

Mulch

Ring diameter (ft)

Depth (in)

Watering

Staking

First Three Years

Mature sizes, chill hours and years to first crop are typical ranges for the species. Check the nursery tag for the cultivar and rootstock you buy. For the chill hours your location gets, open the Chill Hour Calculator.

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Sources

Root ball sizes per trunk caliper are from ANSI Z60.1. Hole width, hole depth, the watering schedule and the establishment period are from Gilman and colleagues at the University of Florida, and zones, heights, widths and growth rates are from NC State Extension. Other numbers are Bizon estimates. Full list: sources. Hardiness zones are estimated from your location and can be overridden. Outside the US they come from the average of each year's coldest night over the last 10 years, which is how the USDA defines a zone. Climate data: ERA5 (contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information). Place names: GeoNames, CC BY 4.0.

The tool does not recommend amending the backfill, fertilizing at planting, or pruning the top to balance the roots. Research has not supported any of the three.

Not covered here are local rules on street trees and utility easements, whether a species is invasive in your county, and subsoil conditions below about 3 ft (1 m). Your county Extension office can help with those.

More detail is in the tree planting guide.