How to Plant Hornbeam
- 1). Dig up a hole with your shovel at least twice the diameter of the Hornbeam's rootball and a few feet deeper than than the depth of the container it is in. Loosen up the soil in the bottom of the hole without removing any more. Add a few feet of the loose soil back into the bottom of the hole and add some organic fertilizer such as age manure or worm casings.
- 2). Carefully tilt the Hornbeam on its side and slide it out of the container. Loosen up the edges of the root ball so that they are not encircling the plant. This will encourage outward facing root penetration.
- 3). Place the Hornbeam into the hole gently, adding soil as needed under the rootball so that the top soil of the rootball is level with the surrounding soil. Carefully turn the tree in its hole to determine which facing view of the tree you prefer.
- 4). Back fill soil around the rootball filling the hole evenly with soil. Use your foot to tamp down the soil around the rootball adding soil as needed if air pockets collapse.
- 5). Use your shovel to dig a shallow circular well at least foot out from the trunk at the drip line.
- 6). Pour water gently into the well and allow to soak in completely. If the water drains into the soil very quickly, refill the well with water. Monitor the newly planted tree carefully, ensuring that the soil is moist but not wet at least an inch down at all times.
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