Tree planting: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering tree planting

Tree planting is a long-lived job where the depth, the species and the first-season care decide how the tree grows. Your value is in matching the tree to the site, planting it correctly and setting up the watering and check-ins that carry it through establishment.

What customers ask

  • What tree is right for this spot, and how big will it get?
  • How deep will you plant it?
  • How much water does it need, and for how long?
  • Do you stake it, and when do the stakes come off?
  • What is the warranty, and what does it cover?
  • Will the roots damage my driveway or sewer line?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask what the customer wants the tree to do, such as shade, privacy or a fall color, and how much room the site has overhead and underground.
  • Walk the site with the customer and check the utilities, the sun, the drainage and the mature size of the tree you have in mind, before you choose the species.
  • Put the species, the size at planting, the hole, the backfill, the staking, the mulch and the watering plan in the written quote, with the warranty terms.
  • Show the root flare on the first tree before you plant the rest, and explain why it is set where it is.
  • Leave a written watering schedule for the first season, with the signs of too much or too little water.
  • Schedule a check-in during the first season to look at the tree's growth and the staking, and tell the customer when it is coming.

What to put on your profile

  • Photos of newly planted trees showing the root flare, the mulch ring and the stakes if used
  • The species you plant most often, with the mature sizes listed
  • Your planting method and the root care you give at planting
  • Your licensing and any tree work certifications, shown where your area requires them

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Send a watering and mulch reminder for the first season, with the signs to watch for
  • Offer a stake removal and check-in at the time the planter specifies
  • Suggest a second tree for the same site, if the customer wants a planting that matures in stages

Licenses and permits

Tree planting is commonly not licensed for a homeowner, but planting for pay may fall under tree work or landscaping rules in some areas. Check with your state or local licensing agency and your permit office before you bid, especially for planting near utilities or in protected areas.

Questions

Do I need a license to plant trees for customers?

Planting for pay may fall under tree work or landscaping rules in some areas. Check with your state or local licensing agency before you bid, and check the permit office for any planting near utilities or in protected areas.

How do I explain root flare to a customer?

Show them where the trunk widens at the base, and explain that the flare should sit at or just above the soil. Point out any soil or mulch covering it and clear it before you leave.

What if a newly planted tree fails?

Look at the cause first: depth, watering, root damage or transplant stress. Explain what you found to the customer, and follow the warranty terms you wrote into the quote.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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