Planting Birch Trees

A white birch tree living amongst pine, spruce, oak and cedar trees adds a special touch of beauty to the landscape. The peeling bark of the birch next to the solid, firm bark of the other trees inspires artist paintings. The delicate foliage of the birch next to the large oak leaves providing a lesson in composition.

Planting a birch tree in your yard and keeping it happy and healthy however can be quite challenging. People fall in love with the tree while hiking in the woods and yearn to have one in their own yard. Unfortunately, birch trees can start to decline after just a few years if not planted under the right conditions and cared for properly.

Think about the places you have seen healthy birch trees in the forest. The soil in these locations has been cool and moist which is what birch trees need. Birch trees have very shallow root systems which makes them very sensitive to dry, hot soil. Consequently, if they are planted in hot, dry soil they do not do well. They should be planted where the soil will be shaded, cool and moist. That’s not all though. To grow well birch trees need full to partial sunshine on their leaves.

Are you wondering how you get shaded, cool and moist soil and full to partial sunshine on the leaves? Try to place them on the east and north side of your house where the building will provide afternoon shade. This way you are avoiding the southern and western exposures during the hot afternoon sun which heats up and dries out the soil. You can have other things in your environment to provide shade besides buildings like other trees. Take a look in your yard in mid to late afternoon and look for spots where the ground is shaded.

Another important consideration before planting birch is to make sure the soil is not compacted or become compacted near them. The shallow root system of birches can be easily damaged by people walking on them so plant away from traffic and apply lots of mulch.

Birch trees like slightly acidic soil but can grow well on more alkaline soils. If you don’t know the pH of your soil it is best to get a soil test. You can always add soil amendments to make it more or less alkaline. They don’t like wet soil so it is also important to make sure the soil drains well and doesn’t flood even for short periods of time. Check with your local garden center or your tree service professional for a recommendation on what type of birch tree to plant in your area.

About the Author: Andrew Johnson is the owner of Central Texas Tree Care, a leading tree service provider in Central Texas (Travis County and surrounding areas) offering services such as pruning and removals, cabling and bracing as well as arborist reports, diagnostics, pest management, fertilization and Austin tree service trusts. For more information please visit http://www.centraltexastreecare.com.