Care of Your Trees
My Trees Were Just Planted
Your trees were just professionally planted with a watering system. Water thoroughly on planting day if your trees were planted between April and October. For trees planted November through March, rain usually provides enough water, but you should still check soil moisture periodically to make sure the root balls are not drying out.
Watering Your Trees
Watering is the single most important factor for newly planted tree survival. Use the irrigation system we installed with your trees. Run the sprayers for 15–20 minutes, 3–4 times per week during the growing season (April through October).
To check soil moisture, push a screwdriver or your finger 6–8 inches into the soil near the root ball. If it feels dry, water more. If it feels soggy, water less. Overwatering can be just as harmful as underwatering—roots need oxygen to function properly.
Reduce watering in the fall, and generally stop from November through March unless there is an extended dry period. Continue diligent watering for the first 2 years—this is the critical establishment period. After 2 years, trees are usually established enough to reduce supplemental watering, though deep watering during dry summers is still beneficial.
Fertilizer
We apply Dr. Earth Rootzone starter fertilizer at planting time. Beginning the following spring, apply a slow-release evergreen fertilizer (keep nitrogen at 10–12 or below). Apply from mid-March through early September. Do not fertilize in late fall or winter.
Follow the package directions for the proper amount. Keep granular fertilizer away from direct contact with the trunk to avoid burn damage.
Pruning
Pruning is a matter of personal taste. The best time for major pruning is during winter dormancy. Light pruning and shaping can be done anytime during the year. As a general rule, never remove more than one-third of a tree's foliage at once.
Mulching
Apply bark or compost (compost is preferred) around the base of your trees. Keep mulch 4–6 inches away from the trunk to prevent rot. Apply 2–4 inches deep and replenish in spring and fall. Mulch conserves moisture, moderates soil temperature, and reduces weed competition—all of which help your trees thrive.
Newly Planted Trees' Appearance
Some stress browning is normal for evergreens after transplanting. Deciduous trees may have smaller leaves or skip flowering in their first year. These conditions usually correct themselves by the next growing season with proper care. Do not panic if your newly planted trees do not look perfect right away.
Tree-Specific Care Notes
Emerald Green Arborvitae
Clean out dead interior branches each fall to improve air circulation. Watch for spider mites, though only about 5% of trees are affected. As a preventive measure, spray with horticultural oil during the dormant season (November through April).
Cedar Trees
Clean dead interior branches annually to keep trees healthy and looking their best. Winter bronzing is a normal response to cold weather and is not a cause for concern—green color returns in spring.
Thundercloud Plum
Spray with insecticide each spring as a preventive measure against common pests that target ornamental plums.
English Laurel
English Laurel may drop leaves after transplanting—this is a normal stress response and new growth will follow. Yellowing foliage can indicate low nitrogen or iron deficiency; a balanced fertilizer or iron supplement usually resolves this.
Planting Trees Yourself
For smaller trees you are planting on your own, here are the basic steps:
- Dig the hole twice the width of the root ball and the same depth.
- Place the tree so the top of the root ball is level with or slightly above the surrounding soil grade.
- Backfill with native soil (do not amend the backfill soil).
- Water thoroughly immediately after planting.
- Apply mulch around the base, keeping it away from the trunk.
- Stake the tree if necessary to prevent wind rock.
- Water consistently for the first two years to establish the root system.
Questions About Your Trees?
We provide ongoing support after planting. If you have questions about caring for your trees, do not hesitate to reach out.
Request a Free EstimateOr call us directly: (425) 343-2650
Privacy Trees
We are a nursery tree farm specializing in Privacy Trees for screening. We sell retail & wholesale, for residential and commercial projects and we “deliver & plant” our trees. Our most common project is planting a line of privacy trees for a homeowner.
Great Selection
We have approximately 12,000 privacy trees growing at our Snohomish farm, and many years’ experience in “what works where”. We also have privacy trees that are not available elsewhere, such as our “Hedged Privacy Trees” and “Thin Man” Arborvitae. You can see our hedged and natural privacy trees in our beautiful 8 minute YouTube Farm Video.
Ornamental Trees
While we specialize in Privacy Trees, we also have a nice selection of Ornamental Trees, with many of our trees being on the “Great Plant Picks” list for the Pacific Northwest.
Delivery & Planting
We usually deliver & plant our trees for Customers. Click here for more information.
Free Estimates
We will help you determine which trees are right for your project, and provide you with free, no-obligation estimates. This is often accomplished by e-mail and phone, usually first using our online Free Estimate Request Form. Where necessary, we will send one of our experts out to review the project (no cost or obligation). More information
Location
We’re conveniently located just 15 minutes north of Woodinville. Please also read the next section.
Farm Visits
We are a working farm not a retail nursery so we don’t keep regular retail hours; instead we set up appointments so that we can focus on your project. This is particularly important during our busy seasons. So please set up an appointment instead of “just coming out.” Thank you. (425) 343-2650; info@NurseryTrees.com.
Payment
We don’t require any money “up front”—you only pay when the job is completed (unusual exceptions to this are large/special projects or lengthy “holds” on trees). Be careful of contractors asking for “up front” money; they might not come back!
Warranty & Support
When we plant your trees we include staking (if necessary), transplanting fertilizer, and an easy-to-use watering system that hooks into your garden hose. We also give a one year Warranty on trees we plant, for no additional charge. We have a detailed “Care of Your Trees” section of our website, and provide ongoing support—we’re available to answer your questions as your new trees grow.
Customer Service
We pride ourselves on our Customer Service—real people answering the phone. We have an “A+” rating with the Better Business Bureau (their highest rating), are an Angie’s List Super Service Award winner, have excellent reviews on Yelp, Google, etc. and a 100% satisfaction rating with eBay.
Our Business History
We planted our first trees in the summer of 1995 and our “workforce” consisted of Mom, Dad and 3 young children. Today we have a dedicated, experienced staff, most of whom have been with us for many years. See: “About Us” for our farming history.
Contractor Registration
NurseryTrees.com, LLC is a registered Washington State contractor (License Number: NURSEL*956J1). Be sure to hire a registered contractor—to go to the Department of Labor & Industries website to check a contractor’s registration, click here. As it says there: “Unregistered contractors carry no bond or insurance to protect consumers. Consumers can face serious issues if anything goes wrong on a job.” These liability risks are in addition to fraud, poor workmanship, worthless warranties, etc. We are fully bonded and insured, of course.
Customer Satisfaction
Most important of all is what our customers think of us:
“I am really pleased with your work. You saved me several thousand dollars, steered me away from trees that wouldn’t work, provided healthy and beautiful trees, did a great job planting them, and did everything on time and on schedule. You can quote me.”
Jo, Vashon Island
“Our privacy bank of trees has done nothing but grow well into maturity. Our back yard and deck area is totally private and the 10 trees your team planted [in 2005] are rich, leathery and dark green. We remark on them every day it seems. Please include me in any of your ‘Testimonials’ as you would be hard pressed to find a more satisfied customer.”
Jim, Port Orchard
“For quality vs. value, your trees are the best landscape purchase I’ve ever made.”
Jeff, Seattle
“Michael, I just wanted to pass along a note to tell you how thrilled I am with the trees. The effect they have brought to our new courtyard in the front of our home here in Seattle has exceeded my expectations!”
Chip Hanauer, Hydroplane Driver