How to Plant a Flowering Dogwood

Flowering dogwood is a deciduous tree that likes cooler temperatures. Although it can tolerate full sun, it does not do well with too much heat from the sun or radiated off of nearby structures. In the spring the tree explodes into a ball of colorful blossoms, with pink as the most popular shade. As with most trees, spring is the best time to plant flowering dogwood.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You’ll Need

• Shovel
• Sphagnum peat
• Flowering dogwood tree
• Organic mulch
• Water

1. Choose a sunny spot in your garden, away from the sides of buildings.
2. Dig up the soil in your planting site to a depth of 6 inches. Remove any rocks and break up larger dirt clods. Add a couple handfuls of sphagnum peat moss and mix in well with the soil. Level the soil with the back of the shovel.
3. Dig a hole at least three times the diameter of the root ball and to the same depth as the pot in which it currently sits. Place the dogwood tree in the hole. Spread out the roots and backfill. Using your foot, tamp the soil lightly at the base of the plant.
4. Spread a 1 or 2-inch layer of mulch around the base of the plant. Water well.

Tips & Warnings

• Fertilizing is generally not necessary unless the soil is very nutrient deprived.