Celebrating 50 years of trees — learn more.

Tree care.

Take care of the trees that take care of us with these helpful, how-to tips and tricks from Tulsa’s tree care experts.

Three essential tree care tips.

How Often?

Every week to ten days, especially during summer.

How Much?

10 gallons per inch of trunk diameter.
The average water pressure of a residential home is 2 gallons/min.
Example: 6 in. tree = 60 gallons of water = 30 minutes of watering.

Tips

Soak within the dripline, i.e., under the canopy
Watering early in the morning is best.
Place a few water buckets with holes around the tree to slowly water it.
To prevent root freeze, water before a hard freeze.

Soaking
Within the dripline, i.e. under the canopy.
Tip
Place a few large buckets with holes around the tree and fill with water; this will slowly water the tree.
Below 20°F?
To prevent root freeze, water before a hard freeze.

Use our Tree Selector to find your perfect tree.
Call Okie (811) before you dig to locate all utilities.
Dig a planting hole:
- Width: 3x the root ball’s diameter
- Depth: 1x the root ball height
Place the tree at the proper height in the hole.
Fill the hole gently but firmly.
Stake the tree if necessary.
Mulch the base of the tree
Water thoroughly.

For more information, please review How To Plant A Tree guidelines.

Size
Consider the mature size of your tree and any overhead and underground utilities.
Hardiness Zone
A tree native to Hawaii will probably not thrive in Green Country.
Nutrient Needs
Will your tree get optimum sun, water and soil nutrients?

Tips

Apply 2-4 inches of mulch around the tree base to retain moisture and prevent weeds/grass.
Keep soil moist, but not waterlogged.
Prune limbs to ensure long life.
Stake to establish your tree if you’re in a high wind area or have shallow/poor soil.

Stakes
Staking can be a useful way to establish your trees, when necessary (high-wind areas or shallow/poor soil).
Weed Stopper
Mulch can keep the weeds and grass from competing for nutrients.
Safe Stacking
When managing cut wood or pruned branches, it's best to create plenty of distance between your stack and the trees to ensure minimal damage if the stack were to collapse.

Check out our videos.

How to plant a bare root seedling.
Invest in the beauty of green country.
How to prune trees.

More learning resources.

Citizen Foresters
Make a difference and become a tree hero in your own backyard.
Dig In
Tree School
Get your K-12 student involved in STEM using trees as a learning tool.
Sign Up
Classes & Walks
Learn about various tree topics with lessons from local tree experts.
Learn More