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How to Grow an Elm Tree
How to Grow an Elm Tree. North American settlers named the elm "lady of the forest." The fully mature elm tree can live up to 300 years. It grows to over 115 feet tall with a diameter of 10 feet or more. Elms have been widely planted. The American elm is majestic and famous for its dappled shade and vase-like shape. These deciduous trees are cold...
North American settlers named the elm "lady of the forest." The fully mature elm tree can live up to 300 years. It grows to over 115 feet tall with a diameter of 10 feet or more. Elms have been widely planted. The American elm is majestic and famous for its dappled shade and vase-like shape. These deciduous trees are cold hardy and heat tolerant.
Research and choose a variety of elm suited to your area. Pick varieties resistant to Dutch elm disease, such as the lacebark elm. Different elm species have different growth requirements.
Improve soil. Elms like fertile soil and sun. Add mycorrhizal fungi. Depending on the native soil, fill the planting hole with a bushel or two of rich compost or topsoil.
Locate elms at least 15 to 20 feet away from houses and 40 to 50 feet from nearby trees.
Pick healthy saplings 3 to 4 feet tall. Purchase in containers or with bare root. For bare roots, spread roots out horizontally. Remove container plants from the pot, loosen the root ball and spread out the roots.
Dig a hole so that the sides taper outward and make the hole a little shallower than the roots. Dig a deeper trench around the edges of the hole so the roots spread out.
Transplant elms when 4 to 7 feet tall in early spring or fall.
Water saplings well by soaking with the hose. Allow the soil to dry between watering. Apply mulch.
Tips & Warnings
Stake the tree to keep it straight and secure.
Use a plastic rodent guard to protect the young tree from rabbits and mice.
Elm trees are not immune to the Dutch elm disease, but there are varieties that are resistant.
Never plant a tree under utility lines.
