How to Plant Trees Near an Underground Sprinkler System
- 1). Locate and study the blueprint of your underground sprinkler system to see where pipes and sprinkler heads are located. Mark an outline of the system on your lawn with plant stakes so you don't disturb the system when you dig.
- 2). Set out the trees in the landscape before planting, taking their growth requirements into account. Most ornamental trees require full sun and moist, well-drained soil, while trees like hemlock and dogwood can benefit from some shelter and shade. Set trees at least 8 to 10 feet from the stakes.
- 3). Dig planting holes with a shovel that are twice as wide as the root ball of the tree, and just as deep. Add a few fistfuls of peat and organic compost, along with a healthy splash of water from a bucket to the bottom of the hole, to add nutrients and ease transplant shock.
- 4). Remove burlap or containers from the root ball of the tree. Loosen roots with your fingers if they are tightly coiled or container-bound. Set the tree in the hole. Check to see that the root collar (where the trunk meets the soil) is 2 inches above the soil line to allow for settling.
- 5). Backfill with original soil, pressing it hard against the roots to close air spaces. Add splashes of water from the bucket as you go. Finish with another bucket of water, poured over the root zone of the tree. Remove the plant stakes from your lawn and store them for reuse.
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