Property developers and private constructors typically love summer. Long, sunny days are perfect for building and carrying out construction projects. Inevitably, landscape design also comes into play. Many of our customers ask Environmental Design if they can plant or transplant trees during the summer.
We are experts at moving and planting large trees and have moved specimen trees across large areas and transplanted them successfully. Thanks to our extensive experience, we know the best seasons for planting or transplanting trees.
When Is the Best Time to Plant Trees?
Everything related to vegetation growth depends entirely on where you live. For example, you don’t want to plant trees in the fall if you live in an area that experiences frost before the winter months. Inversely, those of us in warmer climates like Texas must consider summer heat waves and their impact on newly planted trees and shrubs.
However, the weather conditions aren’t the only factors you should consider when planting trees—you must also understand a tree’s growth process and how that affects the plant’s ability to thrive after transplantation.
A Tree’s Growth Impacts Planting
Trees grow by pushing their roots deep into the soil, where they get nutrients and minerals. The roots capture the necessary nutrients and send them throughout the tree.
While the roots are busy burrowing deeper and deeper into the ground, the tree’s leaves use the sunlight to turn carbon dioxide from the air and water from the soil into sugars to help the tree grow in a process called photosynthesis.
The more sunlight they have at their disposal, the more the leaves can photosynthesize, which partly explains why trees grow their canopy during summer when sunlight is at its peak.
Summer is a busy time for trees. They grow leaves, flowers, and fruit and build up their health to manage the upcoming cooler temperatures of winter.
Why Plant Trees in Spring and Fall?
Although you should always consider your region’s climate conditions before planting any new trees or shrubs, most experts agree the best seasons to plant trees are spring and fall.
In spring, newly planted trees have the whole spring and summer to settle in, grow roots, and prepare for winter. For this reason, we prefer spring planting when we work in Northern states such as Wisconsin, Montana, or Illinois.
In places like Texas, with mild winters and hot summers, fall is the best time to plant trees or landscape your project. Fall rains will fill up the soil and provide necessary moisture, while mild winter temperatures will not hinder the tree’s growth.
Summer Planting Can Challenge Your Trees’ Health
In warm areas like Texas, summers can be sweltering and dry, which is hardly ideal for planting trees. When trees get stressed, they drop their leaves and find it difficult to establish themselves. Newly planted trees are susceptible to drought and high temperatures.
Transplanting in the Summer Can Stress Trees
If you choose to plant or transplant a tree in the summer, you could stress it.
Trees are already shocked when they are transplanted. They need time to adapt to their new location and grow new roots to feed themselves. Hot and dry summer conditions, which we often find in Texas, stress an already strained situation. The tree may linger for years until it builds back up its root system and grows itself—or it might even die.
Hot and dry conditions deplete trees of their energy. A newly planted tree requires the most optimal conditions to grow. Summer is often not the best time to do it, especially in Texas.
Water May Not Be as Plentiful in Summer
Newly planted trees require a lot of water. In fact, you should water trees daily for the first one to two weeks after planting them. After that, you can move down to watering them every two to three days for three to 12 weeks.
Most places don’t receive nearly enough rainfall in the summer months to provide adequate water to newly planted trees. Therefore, you will need to give the water yourself. This can be challenging in scorching and dry locations when local governments restrict water use during the summer months for conservation purposes.
Of course, planting trees in the summer is entirely possible if a project requires it. You just have to take extra steps, such as ensuring consistent watering, planting container trees, and mulching.
Planting in Summer Can Still Be Done, with Care
If your project or landscape process requires summer planting, Environmental Design Inc. can take care of all your tree planting and transplanting needs. We just need to be extra careful to do so in a way that doesn’t stress the trees.
We Plant Container Trees
The first thing to take into consideration is the kind of tree you’ll plant. We strongly favor container and burlapped trees as opposed to bare-root ones. They will find it easier to grow and establish themselves.
We Organize Consistent Watering
The second thing to ensure is to organize consistent watering. A newly planted tree needs two to three times more water than an established tree. This sometimes means more than 25 gallons of water per tree per week. Many places in the United States, particularly in some Texas areas, lack summer rains, so a freshly planted tree can struggle to meet its watering needs.
When we organize our summer planting schedule, we ensure that any trees we plant will have proper deep watering. We advise against frequent but shallow watering. During its first weeks, we prefer to give our trees deep watering every two to three days.
Our goal is to help the tree roots go deep into the soil and find water, which is how the tree will provide water for itself in the future.
We Mulch
In general, you must be careful with fertilizers. Typically, it’s best to avoid fertilizing a new tree for the first couple of years after transplantation. However, a thin layer of mulch can help moisture stay in the soil and cool down the roots. That’s particularly helpful in summer when the water evaporates with the heat.
Environmental Design Inc.
The success of summer tree planting lies in proper preparation, suitable planting, and adequate watering. Trust Environmental Design Inc. for your tree moving and tree planting needs and let your project move forward no matter what the season!
When you call Environmental Design Inc., you know you are talking to tree experts. We will listen to your needs and advise on a tree-planting schedule.
We will provide the right solutions to help you meet your deadlines and we’ll make sure tree professionals manage your residential or commercial landscape project.
Call us today on (281) 376-4260 and let’s start planting trees!
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