Max Darrington
Max L. Darrington (BA ’86), fell in love with trees working on a student landscaping crew. He is now BYU’s head arborist. Darrington is on the board of trustees of the Utah chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture. He also chairs the state chapter’s tree-climbing contest and lectures statewide.
Q: How do I go about planting a tree in my yard?
A: The best place to start is to have a soil analysis done. You can do that for about $15 by sending a soil sample to your local extension agency [find one near you at csrees.usda.gov under “More Quick Links”]. That will tell you what’s actually in your soil, so you know what to plant. Then go to a nursery. Ask for credentials. A common mistake is planting the tree too deep. Make the hole just deep enough that the tree ball will be covered with dirt.
Q: How much should I water a new tree?
A: A quick way to judge that is when you initially dig a hole to plant a tree, fill the hole up all the way with water, let it drain, then fill it up one more time. If it doesn’t drain overnight, you’ve got a heavy clay soil. The amount of watering can go from once a week to every 10 days. If it drains out immediately, then you’ll have to water every day or two.
Q: What about trees I already have in my yard?
A: After the tree is established, it will grow much better with less watering, and most trees don’t need additional fertilizer. Trees are actually healthier and stronger under stress conditions. Kind of a gospel principle.
Q: What are some good online resources?
A: Three good ones are isa-arbor.com, tcia.org, and arborday.org. They tell you what trees grow best in your area and how to take care of your trees.
