If you want to plant a tree and your yard is heavy in clay soil, you are likely to have a hard time getting the tree to thrive. Still, you can absolutely plant trees in clay if you know what you’re doing. 

Rockoff Tree Solutions, a certified arborist in Boerne, Texas, delves deeper into how to plant a tree in clay soil to ensure it thrives. Read on for tips and tricks from these certified arborists.

Which Trees Can You Plant in Clay Soil? 

Soil with high clay content retains water much more readily than its less dense counterparts, like loam and sand soils. This attribute makes clay soil ideal for trees and shrubs that require a significant amount of water. 

However, water retention also means that you can’t plant certain trees. A species that doesn’t thrive in water-saturated soils will just die if you plant it in clay. The best way to find out if the tree you want to plant will do well in this soil type is to consult a certified arborist. 

A Step-By-Step Guide For Planting a Tree in Clay Soil

Let’s see how to plant a tree in clay soil—from soil preparation to mulch. 

Choose a Well Draining Area

Since clay soil has poor drainage, tree planting experts recommend choosing the most well-draining spot possible for your new tree. 

Look at your yard during or after heavy rainfall. Heavy rain usually causes pooling on top of clay soil, and this same pooling makes it easy to figure out which areas have the poorest drainage. 

Dig Hole for Your Tree

After determining the perfect planting site, you need to dig the hole. 

Make it less deep than the container your plant is in but about twice as wide.

This will ensure that the top of the root ball sits a bit higher than the surrounding soils while giving the roots sufficient space to grow in all directions. 

Create Slices in the Planting Hole’s Walls

Digging a hole in clay soil with a shovel leaves you with finely smooth, hard walls. You need to cut slices into the walls to break them up. This ensures the roots from your tree’s root ball have a place to grow. 

How do you create these slices? Just stab your shovel into the hole’s walls with criss-crossing patterns. 

Add Planting Mix to Your Hole

Lightly release the roots from the root ball while pulling your tree from the container. 

Next, center the root ball in the planting pit before adding backfill. Clay soil structures usually lack composted materials, so it’s best to add compost with organic matter to help your young tree thrive in its new environment. 

Add Mulch

Lastly, add a few inches of mulch around the base of the tree and spread it to the edges of the planting hole. 

Be sure the mulch doesn’t come into contact with the tree trunk—it might rot. Mulch helps with drainage improvement, which is critical for clay soil. 

Don’t Forget To Water Your Tree 

If clay retains water well, should you still water your tree after planting it? Yes, the young tree needs sufficient water to establish its roots. 

You can then pull back since overwatering clay soil isn’t good for your tree. An arborist like Rockoff Tree Solutions can draw up a schedule for you if you’re unsure.

Trust Your Local Tree Experts for Help

That’s how to plant a tree in clay soil successfully. You can also talk to the experts at Rockoff Tree Solutions about a wide range of services, such as:

  • Tree health management
  • Soil aeration
  • Air spading

Call Rockoff Tree Solutions at 830-955-0304 to learn about keeping your trees healthy in Boerne, TX, today!