Published - July 10, 1999 

For those of you planning to add a shade tree or two to your landscape here are some things to keep in mind when choosing your new tree.

First, try to find a tree that has a single trunk all of the way up to the top of the tree. This is very important for safety reasons. Trees that have a double leader, or a fork in the trunk where two trunks split forming a "V", are structurally weak. As the tree grows, those two trunks will continue to grow wider. The more of a "V" the two trunks form the more likely they will literally grow apart. As the trunks grow in width they will push each other apart until at least one side falls down. If a tree with this kind of crotch is next to a house, garage or parked cars then that tree is a potential hazard.

Next, try to find a tree that has half of its’ branches in the lower two-thirds of the trunk. Poorer quality trees have no branches along the lower half of the trunk. Branches are important in building the girth of the main trunk so, having branches down low on the trunk is very good.

Here is a trick to determine if a plant is well rooted in the container. Grab the trunk and extend your arm away from you. Look down and see if the container is tipping on the bottom edge away from you. If the container moves with the trunk then the tree is well rooted. If, on the other hand, the container stays flat on the ground and the soil is moving, then the tree was just recently stepped up into a larger container and has not had time to establish a larger root system.

Inspect the foliage for signs of insects or disease problems. Naturally you will want a tree with the best looking foliage. If the plant is not a variegated form than you also want a tree with nice green foliage. Also, inspect the trunk and limbs for damage. Make sure that all of the bark looks good.

If you have a number of good trees to choose from, then pick the tree with the fewest weeds. Of course, this isn’t as important as the health and structure of a tree so if you find a healthy, single leader tree that has a lot of weeds in it go ahead and buy it, just make sure you weed it well before planting.

Once you get your new tree home be sure to plant it so that the top of the root ball is level with the existing soil. After the tree has been planted, the three most important things it will need are water, water and water!