How to Plant a Tree in Canberra

It’s tree week! To celebrate, we’ve put together a tree planting guide for growing trees in Canberra.

The Wonder of Trees

Trees help make your garden a wildlife haven. Birds, insects and even small mammals will find shelter and food in the habitat you create. Trees provide natural cooling for hot days, shelter from wind, and their roots protect soil from erosion. Trees also help to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and helping to fight climate change. Studies have shown that human and wellbeing improves when we connect with nature, and even being able to look at a tree out of a window can help improve your mood.

Before Planting

Find a sunny spot that has space for the tree to grow.

The best times to plant trees in Canberra are autumn and spring, when the weather is mild.

Water the ground before you plant. If possible, water a few hours or up to a day before planting. This gives the water time to soak in and will make digging easier!

Place the tree in its pot in a bucket of water for a couple of minutes before you plant it, to make sure that the soil is properly saturated.

Remove grass and weeds in a 1-meter radius circle around the place you want to plant the tree.

Planting

Dig a wide sloping hole at least to the depth of the tree’s pot. By digging wide and deep, and then backfilling the soil, you’re providing the tree with loose soil for its roots to grow into.

If you want to add compost or fertiliser, add it sparingly, and only to the topsoil, not to the bottom of the hole. With native trees there is usually no need to add soil amendments.

Fill in the hole, making sure the roots are covered. Shape the soil around the trunk into a saucer shape to catch any rain. Do not stomp or compact the soil as trees need soft soil around their roots. Water the tree so the roots get a good soaking.

Mulching

Mulch the cleared area to a depth of 10-20 cm with woodchips. You could add a layer of cardboard or newspaper below the mulch to suppress weed growth. Don’t let the mulch touch the tree stem as this can cause rot. Water the mulch to saturation.

Mulch keeps the soil healthy and moist, and adds nutrients as it breaks down. You should expect to replenish mulch every 1-2 years.

Watering

Water the tree every second day for four weeks, then water twice a week for the next couple of months (if it’s been raining you won't need to water as much). Remember to water the tree during hot and dry weather for the first few years.

In summer it’s best to water in the evening or the early morning to prevent evaporation.

Pruning

To help the tree grow bushy, prune lightly after flowering. One method is to tip-prune by pinching off the growing tips. Bushy trees attract small birds, which like to hide in their dense foliage.

Pests

In your garden it is best not to use pesticides or herbicides of any kind. These sprays cause great harm to bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects. Humans, animals and trees all rely on insects to survive. Don’t worry too much if an insect has eaten a few leaves off your tree, try squashing or hosing off insects that are doing serious damage, or encouraging more birds and insects into the garden to do the job for you.