The sycamore is a distinctive, fast-growing deciduous tree known for its mottled, peeling bark and broad canopy, making it a desirable choice for providing extensive shade. It is selected for its vigorous growth and adaptability to various conditions. Successful planting requires attention to specific details regarding space, installation, and immediate aftercare to ensure healthy establishment. This guide provides a straightforward process to plant your sycamore tree for lasting growth.
Preparing the Planting Site and Tree Stock
The sycamore tree demands significant space due to its eventual size, often reaching heights of 75 to 100 feet with a similar canopy spread. Before planting, select a location that can accommodate this size, keeping it well away from structures, foundations, septic systems, and utility lines. A setback of at least 25 to 30 feet from any hardscape is a minimum to prevent future root interference.
Sycamores prefer full sun, needing at least six hours of direct sunlight each day, though they can tolerate some partial shade. The tree is adaptable to a wide range of soil types, but it thrives best in deep, well-drained, moist loams, often mimicking its native habitat along stream banks. Planting is best scheduled for the dormancy period, ideally in late fall after leaf drop or in early spring before new growth begins. This timing allows the roots to establish without the stress of summer heat.
When selecting a sapling, look for a straight trunk and a healthy, intact root ball, whether container-grown or balled-and-burlapped. Before installation, check the soil in the chosen location for compaction and drainage issues. Loosening the soil surrounding the intended planting area, beyond the dimensions of the hole, will encourage the young tree’s roots to spread quickly into the native ground.
Step-by-Step Installation
The planting hole should be excavated to be two to three times wider than the root ball, but only as deep as the root ball itself. Digging a wide hole allows for new root growth to extend easily into the surrounding, less-compacted native soil. Digging too deep is a common error that can cause the tree to settle below grade and subsequently drown the roots.
Before placing the tree, prepare the root ball by removing all packaging, including containers, wire baskets, and non-biodegradable burlap. Inspect the roots and use clean bypass pruners to cut any roots that are circling the outside of the ball, as these can eventually girdle the trunk and restrict growth. Locate the root flare, which is the point where the trunk widens as it meets the root system.
The tree must be positioned in the hole so that the root flare sits slightly above the final soil grade, ensuring the trunk bark remains exposed to the air. Planting the trunk too deeply prevents the necessary exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide and can lead to bark decay. Once positioned, backfill the hole using only the native soil removed during excavation.
Gently tamp the soil as you backfill to eliminate any large air pockets that can dry out the roots. Initial watering should begin partway through the backfilling process to help settle the soil around the roots. Finish filling the hole to the level of the root flare, ensuring no soil or mulch covers the base of the trunk.
Essential Post-Planting Care
Immediate post-planting care focuses on establishing a strong, healthy root system in the first growing season. Consistent moisture is required, as young sycamores need deep watering, especially during dry periods. In the absence of rain, a thorough soaking once a week is usually sufficient, ensuring the water penetrates the soil deeply to encourage downward root growth.
Apply a two to four-inch layer of organic mulch in a wide circle around the newly planted tree, extending out to the edge of the excavated area. Mulch helps to retain soil moisture, regulate soil temperature, and reduce competition from weeds. It is important to leave a small ring of space clear of mulch directly around the trunk’s root flare to prevent moisture from causing decay of the bark.
Staking the tree is generally not recommended unless the planting site experiences high winds or the root ball is unstable, as movement helps the trunk develop strength. If staking is necessary, use flexible ties and remove them as soon as the tree can stand independently, typically within the first year, to avoid girdling the trunk. Pruning should be limited to removing only broken or dead branches at the time of planting.