How big a hole must I dig?
Grandpa used to say, “dig a fifty dollar hole for a ten dollar tree.” Adjusted for inflation, that means dig a hundred dollar hole for a thirty dollar tree.
Digging a large hole serves two purposes: First, it loosens the soil, which can benefit the roots of the tree for years. Ironically, the harder the ground, the bigger the hole you should dig. If the digging is tough due to hard, compacted soil, it is going to be very difficult for the tree to penetrate the ground with its roots.
Secondly, a large hole allows one to spread out the roots from the trunk right away. Roots which are curled, or which remain in the original root ball, never straighten out. They just get bigger and bigger in that same configuration, and as the tree gets older, that mass of curled up roots can either choke off the trunk of the tree, or make the tree more likely to fall over in a wind, according to recent University of Minnesota research.
The time and effort spent digging a big enough hole for a new tree, which usually means digging a hole wider than it is deep, will pay dividends for year in added growth, as well as the long-term health and strength of the tree.
For most six foot trees, a hole three to four feet wide and two feet deep is sufficient. Skim the sod away first and set it aside, then dig out the remaining dirt. If you have no use for the sod elsewhere in the yard, throw it in the bottom of the hole before planting the tree to provide humus.
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