AFTER PLANTING
New Tree Care and Limited Plant Warranty
Our crew gives each tree its start. After planting day, consistent watering becomes the responsibility of the property owner or designated caretaker.
The goal is simple: keep the original root ball evenly moist while new roots begin growing into the surrounding soil. Do not let it dry completely, but do not keep it saturated either.
Follow the watering instructions provided for your project. Tree size, plant type, soil, drainage, weather, and irrigation can all change how often a new planting needs water.
START WITH THE ROOT BALL
Water the Tree, Not Just the Lawn
A lawn sprinkler can make the surface look wet while the original root ball remains dry.
Water needs to be applied slowly over the root ball so it can soak in instead of running across the lawn.
Check the soil before watering
Press a finger or small hand trowel into the soil near the root ball. If the soil still feels cool and moist, wait. If it is beginning to dry, it is time to water.
Water slowly and deeply
Use a hose at a slow trickle, a watering bag, or the irrigation method discussed for your installation. A quick spray across the surface is usually not enough.
Look at what happens afterward
The water should reach the root ball without leaving the planting area saturated. Standing water or soil that remains muddy may indicate that the area is holding too much moisture.
Adjust to the property
Heat, wind, and fast-draining soil can dry a planting more quickly. Kentucky clay and poorly drained areas may hold water considerably longer. Rain should only replace a watering when it actually soaks the root zone.
A STARTING RHYTHM
Your Written Watering Guide Comes First
New plantings often need a thorough soaking once or twice a week during dry Kentucky weather. They may need closer attention during hot, windy periods and less water when rainfall has soaked the root zone.
That is a starting point, not a fixed calendar.
Large trees, evergreen rows, shrubs, slopes, heavy clay, and irrigation systems can each require a different approach. Check the soil before adding more water. Watering every day simply because the weather is hot can be just as harmful as allowing the root ball to dry.
This guidance follows recommendations from the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. Your project-specific instructions still come first.
MULCH AND THE FINISHED AREA
Leave the Trunk Room to Breathe
Mulch helps the soil retain moisture and protects the tree from lawn equipment, but it should not be piled against the trunk or shrub stems. Leave the mulch as our crew finished it unless we provide different instructions.
Keep mowers and string trimmers away from the trunk. If mulch washes away, settles heavily, or is moved during other landscape work, contact us before adding a deep new layer.
The University of Kentucky Urban Forest Initiative also recommends keeping mulch away from the trunk rather than building a mound around it.
WHAT TO WATCH
Call Early When Something Looks Wrong
Wilting, browning, or leaf drop does not automatically tell you whether a plant is too dry, too wet, stressed, or damaged. Check the soil before responding with more water.
Please contact us if:
- The soil remains saturated or standing water collects around the tree.
- The root ball repeatedly dries faster than expected.
- A tree begins leaning or its stakes become loose.
- You notice significant wilting, browning, or leaf loss.
- The trunk, branches, or root area have been damaged.
When you contact us, send current photos along with the planting date, recent watering routine, watering method, and any meaningful rainfall the property has received. That gives us a better chance of understanding what is happening.
ONE-YEAR LIMITED PLANT WARRANTY
How Qualifying Installations Are Reviewed
Qualifying Big Tree Planting Co. installations include a one-year limited plant warranty when the provided watering guide and applicable project warranty requirements are followed.
After installation, the property owner or designated caretaker is responsible for watering and monitoring the new planting. Please report concerns promptly. Waiting until a tree or shrub is severely declined can make the cause much harder to identify.
Not every project or plant automatically qualifies. The written warranty information provided for your project controls the coverage.
CONCERNED ABOUT A RECENT INSTALLATION?
Send Photos Before the Problem Gets Worse
Call 859-473-4272 or reply to your project email with current photos, the planting date, and your watering routine. Tell us whether the soil around the root ball feels dry, moist, or saturated.