To ensure your tree gets a strong start, consistent watering is
crucial.
For the first two weeks after transplanting, provide three gallons of water
daily. Following this initial period, water the tree two to three times each
week throughout the growing season, increasing water intake during droughts.
As your tree matures, apply two to three gallons of water per inch of trunk
diameter over the root ball, keeping the soil moist but not
waterlogged.
Maintain a mulch layer around your tree that extends at least three feet in
width. This minimizes competition from turf roots and weeds, safeguarding
your tree from potential damage by lawn equipment. The mulch should be two
to three inches deep and situated four inches away from the tree trunk. You
can expand the mulch ring as your tree grows.
Avoid the use of lawn or weed chemicals and herbicides around the tree. Fertilization is unnecessary. Fertilization is not required. Pruning is not recommended in the first three years, except in the case of broken, dead, or diseased branches.
Residents residing within the Tallahassee city limits are encouraged to explore the City of Tallahassee's Adopt-A-Tree program by visiting
Talgov.com/AdoptATree.