UpdatePlanting depth of trees and espaliers

Planting Depth of Trees and Espaliers

Why Are Trees Planted Too Deep? Several reasons come up frequently:

• The planting depth or height is not respected because people want to align with an adjacent hedge or wall. For parasol trees, it’s often about aligning with the neighbors’ window height. For espaliers, it’s sometimes to compensate for a slope.
• Sometimes the planting depth is respected, but a thick layer of mulch (e.g., bark) is added afterward. In that case, ensure the layer is very thin max. 1 cm within a 10 cm radius around the trunk.
  At Espaliers and our partner companies, customers have the widest choice in trunk heights and dimensions. Planting too deep just to match height should never be an excuse.

To avoid all negative consequences, we prefer a project-based approach. This eliminates problems and ensures the best result. Feel free to visit our nursery!

 
Consequences of Planting Too Deep

Most trees cannot tolerate deep planting:

• If planted deeper than 5 to 10 cm, trees will die.
• If less than 5 cm too deep, a tree may survive for a long time but grow slowly.
  Some trees completely stagnate, as if frozen. This can last a long time, and usually the tree weakens and dies eventually.

Does This Apply to Every Tree Species?

How a tree reacts to deep planting depends on the species. But in 90% of cases, trees die due to excessive moisture around the trunk.
Rarely, a tree will adapt by transforming its trunk into roots to solve the issue, but these are true exceptions.

My Advice?
Don’t take the risk.

 
How to Check If a Tree Is Planted Too Deep?

Remove the soil around the trunk until you reach the root collar—where the root begins.

Look and feel:

• A correctly planted tree will have a visible root collar. The first roots should be just below the soil surface.
• If the trunk section below ground is moist, the tree is planted too deep—and it won’t tolerate that.

What to Do If a Tree Is Planted Too Deeply?

There are two possible solutions:

• Immediately remove the soil and any covering materials locally. This solution is viable for planting depths up to 5 to 10 cm too deep. In most cases, this is all that needs to be done.
• If the tree is planted so deep that the first solution isn’t feasible, it must be replanted or the surrounding ground level needs to be adjusted.
  In any case, the trunk must not remain moist for extended periods.

 
Protecting the Trunk — But Take Care:

Even if a tree is planted correctly, serious trunk damage can lead to poor growth or even dieback. This depends on the species and the extent of the damage.

That’s why it’s sometimes necessary to protect the trunk from, for example, lawnmowers or grass trimmers. In that case, pay attention to the following:

• Ensure the trunk protection is spacious enough or allows sufficient ventilation.
• Make sure water cannot accumulate around the protection.
• Prevent leaves from piling up between the trunk and the protection.

And What If the Tree Is Planted Too High?

Planting a tree too high is less harmful. As long as the tree receives enough water during the initial period and is properly stabilised, it will grow perfectly well.

 
Expert Tip:
The wetter the soil, the more sensitive trees are. If you have moist ground, always plant slightly higher and build a small mound around the tree. Good luck!

Further Reading:
Some tree species require very specific planting methods. Discover more in these articles:
Planting Holm Oak and Planting Parasol Trees.

Wondering when is the best time to plant espalier trees? Read more here:
When Is the Best Time to Plant Espaliers?

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