Tree planting and aftercare.

Getting a new tree past its first few years.

Most young trees that fail don't fail because of the planting day — they fail in their second or third summer, from lack of water, a stake left on too long, or competition from grass right up to the stem. Picking the right species for the spot and then looking after it properly for a couple of years matters far more than the size of the tree you start with.

Smaller stock usually establishes faster and catches up with a bigger, more expensive tree within a few years. I'd rather plant a well-chosen sapling in a properly prepared pit than a heavy specimen that spends three years struggling.

Bare-root planting season runs roughly November to March, which is the cheapest and most reliable time to plant. If you're replacing a tree that's just been removed, I can grind the old stump out deeper at the same time to leave clean ground to plant into.