Before you dig, call VA811 (formerly Miss Utility) at 8-1-1 to have utility lines marked. The service is free, and it is the law.

For suggestions on specific trees that are suitable for planting in your area, please review our Vegetation Management brochure:

  • Dig a hole that is at least twice as wide, but no deeper than the size of the tree's root system.
  • Place the tree in the hole at a depth where the soil line is the same as it was in its container.
  • Back fill the hole then firm the soil, while holding the tree in a straight, upright position. When the hole is almost filled, water thoroughly and then complete filling.
  • It will take about six months to one year for the tree to get fully established.
  • Avoid fertilizing at planting or during the first year when it's easy to burn roots on newly planted trees.

What Tree to Plant Where

tree heights

REC STORIES

Meet CARE Charity Board Member: Sheryl Reid

Monday | September 15, 2025
Sheryl Reid may have been born in Iowa, but it’s Clarke County, Va., that she has called home since she was 12. Her rural roots helped shape her stron...
National 811 Day is August 11 (8/11), a great reminder to click va811.com or call 811 to check for underground utility lines every time before you dig...
Tootie Rinker may have spent much of her childhood overseas, but her roots run deep in Winchester, VA.