Fall is the prime planting season for these sensitive trees. Mid-September starts a prime window for planting. This sweet spot in fall, before the ground freezes solid, gives your Dogwood the time it needs to establish new roots. It can build strong roots without the demand of immediately pushing out flowers and full canopy through a heatwave. By the time spring arrives, it’ll be fully settled, ready to burst with new flowers and leaves.
If you’ve ever tried to find a Dogwood tree for your yard in spring, you might have felt like you were chasing a unicorn. Many nurseries and garden centers know that Dogwoods also are a challenge to plant in spring or summer, so it’s only natural that the trees are stocked up in the fall. Picking one out usually is by color, the ‘Stellar hybrid’ varieties are more resistant to pests and growing challenges and do not produce as much fruit as other varieties, the native flowering Dogwoods produce the fruit for birds, ‘Kousa’ varieties are more resistant to challenges, pests, and disease while producing larger fruit. The ‘Kousa’ fruit can be used to make jams.
Dogwoods thrive in partial shade. Think of them as the perfect understory tree. Tucking them into or near the existing treeline or positioning them where they get the dappled light from taller neighbors is ideal. The sweet spot is morning sun and early afternoon sun. This gives them the light energy they need for full bloom without risking the leaf-scorch and heat stress that comes from the relentless rays of the late-day summer sun.
Dogwoods can be picky about where they put their roots down. Getting the soil right is key to preventing future headaches. If you have heavy clay soil, it holds moisture sometimes too well. This can prove problematic because waterlogged soil can lead to root rot. Your Dogwood will tolerate clay, but it will be much happier if you break up that dense structure. You’ll need to amend it with generous amounts of compost or other organic matter to significantly improve drainage. On the flip side, sandy soil drains way too quickly, leaving those precious new roots thirsty. To remedy this, you also need to amend it with organic matter. This acts like a sponge, helping the sandy soil retain some much-needed moisture.
The perfect soil is loam—a balanced blend of sand, silt, and clay. However, very few of us are lucky enough to have perfect loam naturally in our yards! So, the rule of thumb is always: amend when planting.
Here in the Piedmont Triad, we highly recommend an organic soil conditioner like Daddy Pete’s Planting Mix. It’s a fantastic blend of composted composted cow manure and pine bark fines, and it’s locally made, which is a bonus!
Dogwoods love to spread their roots out into loose, comfy soil as they establish, and a wide hole gives them a welcoming runway.
The depth should be equal to the height of the root ball. But before you place the tree in, take a moment to loosen the dirt at the very bottom of the hole and mix in a little of your chosen compost or soil amendment.
When you set the tree in, make sure the top of the root ball is just a bit above ground level. This is critical for good drainage right at the base of the trunk. As you backfill the hole with your amended soil, do not cover the top of the root ball. Keep that top layer visible!
Backfilling and Watering
- Amend the soil before you put it back into the hole with your new tree.
- Do not tamp the dirt down with your foot. Fill the hole gently.
- Water thoroughly. The water will cause the soil to settle naturally, which is better than force-tamping.
- Finish filling the hole, then water again. Add more soil if it settles more.
Finally, add a layer of mulch 2 to 3 inches deep. Mulch is fantastic, it will hold moisture while regulating soil temperature. Crucial warning: Do not pile the mulch up against the trunk! Pull it back a few inches to create an air gap. This is often called a “mulch donut,” not a “mulch volcano.” Mulch piled directly on the trunk holds moisture against the bark, which can cause rot, disease, or invite damaging pests like borers.
Overall, planting a Dogwood is much like the planting and care of any newly planted tree, with the important exceptions of the lighting and soil preparation we’ve discussed. Get those things right, and your Dogwood will reward you for years to come with its spectacular spring flower display.