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Planting your trees

Tree planting is traditionally carried out between October and March - avoiding, if you can, frost and snow!

There are several methods of planting trees but the best is “pit planting”.

Use a small spade and take a turf out of the ground, turn it over and split it almost in half. Dig the rest of the hole and “free up” the soil.

Put the young tree in the hole, hold it steady and gently push back the soil, pressing it down onto the roots gently as you go.

Look for the “collar” on the young tree - this is point where the tree has grown above ground.

This should be at the level of the top of the soil.

Finally, put the turf back in the hole with the split either side of the young tree and with the grass side down in the hole.

Tamp the ground with you foot to firm it in.

Download our tree planting picture guide (pdf) to see what we mean and/or watch our video on how to plant a tree.

Organise a tree planting event

Tree protection

Picture guide
Storing trees
When to plant

Tree planting information to download

Tree planting picture guide

Our 3 page picture guide will take you through every step involved in planting a tree - great to print if you are holding a tree planting event.

Opens in a new window and requires Adobe Acrobat reader to access.

Guide to creating small-scale new native woodland

Our 30 page guide provides a single, easy-to-read document helping you to create small-scale native woodland. This is particularly aimed at community groups.

If you are planting large areas of land give our woodland creation team a call on 0845 293 5689.

The appendices within this document relate to England. Appendices for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be uploaded shortly.

Woodland Trust position statements

Woodland Creation

The Woodland Trust has a number of position statements available for you to read and download. These set out our view on a variety of subjects, including woodland creation.

Please click on the picture to download the file. Each statement is available in a pdf format.

A selection of other related position statements can be downloaded from this page by clicking on the links below:

Climate Change

Carbon Management

Water Management

Can't find what you are looking for? Visit our campaigns area to view all Woodland Trust position statements

Storing your trees

Once you have bought your trees...

Storage:

Leave them in the bags in which they were bought until you need them.
Keep them cool and moist before planting – store them in cool surroundings out of sunlight such as a shed or garage, spray the roots with a fine mist spray of water if they appear dry.
Keep out of frost.
Avoid dropping the bags or dropping things on the bags – root damage will severely limit growth.

When you are ready to plant:

Don’t plant on a frosty day.
Carefully carry the bags to site.
Carefully untie the trees – which are likely to be tied together in groups – from each other without damaging the bark.
Only take trees out of the bags as you are ready to plant them – root drying will seriously affect a tree’s survival rate and even a light wind can dry roots out within a few minutes.

When to plant your trees

When you are ready to plant:

Don’t plant on a frosty day.
Carefully carry the bags to site.
Carefully untie the trees – which are likely to be tied together in groups – from each other without damaging the bark.
Only take trees out of the bags as you are ready to plant them – root drying will seriously affect a tree’s survival rate and even a light wind can dry roots out within a few minutes.

Step 4 - Planting trees

The Woodland Trust is a charity registered in England and Wales (No. 294344) and in Scotland (No. SC038885).
A non-profit making company limited by guarantee. Registered in England No. 1982873.
Registered office: Kempton Way, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 6LL.
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