Thanks to the Arbor Day Foundation for sponsoring this post and helping make the world a better place – with trees. Visit the Arbor Day Foundation and use code NEWLYWOODWARDS to receive $10 off your tree purchase.
Earth Day was Monday, and we think one of the best ways to celebrate is by planting a tree (or a dozen).
If you are new to tree planting, it can feel overwhelming. And stopping into a random store can leave you with more questions than answers.
That’s why we recommend turning to the folks at the Arbor Day Foundation. Their mission – “We inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees.” Founded in 1972, it has grown to become the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees, with over one million members, supporters, and valued partners.
That includes our family.
We are members of the Arbor Day Foundation – which means we are card-carrying tree lovers.
We live in the country with 17 acres of land, and we want nothing more than to be surrounded by trees. They are beautiful, great for people and for wildlife, and an investment in the future generation.
When we bought our land, trees had already been planted on 9 acres through a government program. And over the past 5 years, we have nurtured and watched those trees grow every year. All the while, we have been adding and replacing trees where we could.
Want proof? This is a picture of the property in 2014 when we took possession.
And here’s a picture this week – from the exact same location (which happens to our house now). It is spring instead of fall – but the growth and change is incredible. Check out all those tiny evergreen trees in the back corner – they have exploded in size! And see that tiny oak tree on the right? It’s over 20 feet tall now.
Did you notice all those white tubes? Those are tree tubes. So, that’s lots more trees coming soon.
Maybe you aren’t interested in planting hundreds of trees. But no matter whether you live in the country or in a small city lot (been there, too), trees are a great addition to your yard – for the environment AND for curb appeal. (Win-win.)
And this year, our family is encouraging yours to get your hands dirty and plant a tree.
This is a great tradition for Earth Day or any time during the planting season in the spring and fall. (Don’t know when your planting season is? Arbor Day has a handy calendar to help.)
Here’s how to make it happen – it’s quick, easy and affordable.
Start with trees that work for your region.
Visit the Arbor Day Foundation Nursery page and enter your zip code. This allows you to browse trees and choose the best ones for your hardiness zone. (In other words, you want to make sure to choose a tree that can actually survive and thrive in your yard.)
Narrow down the options and choose your tree – we went with a Golden Jubilee Peach. We have already started planting a hillside of fruit trees and are excited to add peaches to the mix. Even in cooler climates (we are a zone 5), you can grow lots of fruit trees.
Get the tree delivered to your home through the Arbor Day Foundation.
Once you choose a tree, it’s time to order. When you order your tree through the Arbor Day Foundation website, use the code NEWLYWOODWARDS for $10 off. It will be shipped directly to your home when it’s time to plant.
Trees can be planted from the time the frost first leaves the ground through late spring. So now’s the time. And soon enough, the tree will show up in a box at your door.
Once your box arrives, you’ll want to plant your tree within 5 days. A Planting Guide containing the instructions to plant a tree is included with every order.
When you open the box, it won’t look like the trees you’ll see at your local garden center. It’s not in a pot of soil and will not have many – if any – leaves. This is called tree dormancy. But fear not, once it’s planted, you’ll soon see green leaves and growth. (Shipping a tree like this makes it more affordable for you.)
Ours actually did have a few small leaves, but was mostly dormant. But we got right to work – with our one-year-old’s help.
After unwrapping the bottom of the tree, you’ll want to soak the roots for a few hours. Ours were still wet from the packaging around the roots, but it doesn’t hurt to soak them more.
Then, we headed out to dig our hole and get this tree in the ground. The guide included will have all the details, but we made sure to dig a large enough hole for the roots, loosened the soil, and removed all the grass surrounding the tree.
You don’t want the roots too deep, so it took a little back and forth to get it right.
Then, we added the soil around the tree together, keeping it in place.
And most importantly, we watered it well. And we’ve continued to keep it well-watered when it hasn’t rained. Here’s the kids on our watering rig. Because we have so many trees, Ryan added a water pump to the back of the Gator, which is perfect for watering all those trees.
We also added a tree tube, which keeps deer and other wildlife from nibbling on our new plant.
Now, we wait for our new peach tree to grow. If the past is any indicator, we will be amazed by the growth in just a few years!
Don’t forget – order your tree today from Arbor Day Foundation and use code NEWLYWOODWARDS for $10 off.
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Adah Shine says
Kim I just read your tutorial on barn quilts. I made my first quilt and would like to no what kind of sealer you used on yours. Is there a brand that you like best? Should it have a UV resistance in it? I used Acrylic paint. If you could help me that would be great. Thank you in advance. Adah Shine