Can I Plant a Tree in Summer in Georgia?

Trees are much more than something beautiful to look at. They benefit us and our planet in so many ways – they clean our air, they create more oxygen for us, and they provide shelter and protection for our wildlife. Trees are an essential part of our environment, and planting trees often is a great way to add value to our planet. If you live in Georgia, the team at Southern Star Tree Service is here to help you determine when and where the best time to plant new trees is. 

Can I plant a new tree in the summer in Georgia?

If you were born and raised in Georgia, then you know how warm and humid our summers can get. The ideal time to plant a tree is when it’s their dormant season – meaning they are currently growing food or leaves. In Georgia specifically, trees dormant season takes place in late fall early winter. Georgia’s warm and humid summer weather isn’t ideal for planting trees, but it can be done, it may just take a little extra work and maintenance.
When you first plant a tree, Southern Star Tree warns you that your tree may go into what’s called transplant shock – your tree is getting used to its new surrounding and trying to determine where it gets its water and nutrients so it may take some time for you to see growth progress. 

There are some things you can do to give your new tree the best chance of growing during the Georgia summer:

1.    Get the right tree, put it in the right place

Like most things in life, you can’t force things to work when the situation isn’t right – the same goes for trees. There are so many different tree varieties, and Southern Star Tree recommends taking some time to determine what kind of environmental factories you are working with:

• Soil type
• Availability of water
• Sun exposure
• Maintenance needs
• Height and spread of tree
• Property type

These things will all play a role in the growth of your tree, so determine these first, pick a tree that will thrive in your specific environment, and get to planting!

2.    Dig a big enough hole
Depending on your tree’s mature height and spread, you may need to determine how big you need to dig your hole for it to spread out properly. You want the hole to be twice as big as the container size the tree came in or bigger if possible. This is an important step when planting a new tree in summer in Georgia because it loosens up the soil and provides more oxygen for the roots of the tree.

3.    Mulch your tree
This is another super important step when planting a tree in the Georgia summer. The tree care team at Southern Star Tree recommends using only organic mulch (wood chips, bark, and straw). Doing this will provide your tree with so many benefits and nutrients to help it grow large and strong. This needs to be done to your tree yearly for the first couple of years.

You can count on Southern Star Tree!
Here at Southern Star Tree, we operate at a level of industry excellence that leaves every one of our clients happy. With over 40 years of experience in the tree world and as an ISA arborist, we are always here to help answer any tree-related questions you have. Let’s all work together, build trees, and help our environment one tree at a time!