Tools For Tree Planting: Resources Needed for 2024

Look no further if you need to plant a small tree or sapling.

Before you start digging, make sure you have the right planting tools to streamline the process.

Picking out the best tools for planting trees doesn't need to be complicated.

See our best-of list below. 

You've got a tree sapling and you are ready to plant. Make sure you have the following tools:

• Nursery Spade
• Watering System
• Shovel
• Gardening Fork
• Tape Measure
• Tree Tag
• Rodent Guard
• Compost and Mulch
• Gloves

Nursery Spade

Okay, so you've picked out a spot to plant - first order of business is digging the hole. You need the right tool for digging holes.

The nursery spade is an obvious choice (in fact, most of these are obvious). You use the spade to dig the hole in the ground.

You use the sharp edge to pierce the hold in the ground and loosen up the soil. Once you have enough soil ready to move, you have to start scooping it out with a...

Shovel

You'll need a shovel to move the all the material you loosened up with the spade.

Now, if you don't have a shovel, you can use your spade to do the job but trying to pierce the earth with a shovel is going to be much harder than with a spade. Keep that in mind. 

Side note: What's the Difference between a Shovel and A Spade?

When it comes to shovels versus spades, the difference is usually in the blade (though not always). A spade is known for being flatter with a sharper edge.

The back of the blade is typically flat so you apply extra pressure to dig into the ground.

A shovel will have a curved blade for better scooping. It's larger than a spade because the goal of the shovel is to move as much material as possible

Since it's not meant for digging, the material of the blade isn't as durable as a spade (typically).

That being said, the lines between the shovel and the spade are blurring these days.

Gardening Fork

Another classic planting tool that will make you feel like a real farmer, the gardening fork. This baby is going to be used to, again, loosen up the soil and sod on top of or in the hole.

Another thing you can use the gardening fork for is to texture the side of the hole as you dig into the earth.

If you have a spade or shovel, then this isn't requirement for tree planting but you can't go wrong purchasing one for your gardening toolkit. 

Tape Measure

The tape measure is important because you don't want to be digging wider or deeper than you have too. If you followed our guide on how to plant, then you know the hole you need to dig is going to be rough 2-3x the root ball wide and just as big as the root ball deep.

Measure out the amount of space you need, and try not to dig any more than that. Any tape measure will do.

Tree Tag

Tree tags are important if you have more than one tree in your nursery. Can't tell you how many times we here at Sweet New Earth have planted a variety of tree only to not label it, and then completely forget what species we planted.



Tree tags are a must, especially if you are a gardening aficionado or have an extensive amount of species. It doesn't have to be super fancy or even store bought, but labeling goes along way. 

Rodent Guard

We plan on going in depth on rodent guards in the future but for now, we'll give you the basics. If you plant trees, you can expect rodents.

A rodent guard is essentially a piece of LDPE pipe (what we use, but we've seen anything from wire to paint and other DIY guards) that is going to sit at the bottom of the tree to protect it from pesky critters.

These can be removed later on but are helpful in the early stages of the tree to ensure growth of the tree. 

Compost and Mulch

Compost and mulch are critical to planting tree. You can use the compost to fill in the rest of the hole and then place the mulch on top of it.

Compost will help with the soil density and mulch is basically insulation for the tree. Ignore these at your own risk (well, at your tree's risk!).

You need to be careful with mulching around trees. If you are planting on a steep slope be careful not to create a mulch volcano, it could hurt the tree.

Gloves

Gloves are a must have for us. We like getting out there and getting our hands dirty but cleaning the grime from underneath your fingernails can be a bit annoying sometimes.



Also, gloves are great for keeping your hands safe from any small cuts or scratches, or even just basic abrasion from digging a hole. 

Other Tree Planting Tools and Equipment

These tools aren't required for small time gardening (although you can certainly use a pic).

If you are planting one off trees or plants or have a small garden, then you'll be fine with the list above.

But here are a few more things to consider (don't forget, once the tree is planted, you'll need the best tools cut the tree branches to keep it growing healthy).

• Pic
• Rototiller
• Dibble Bar
• Wheelbarrow (if not, use a tub)
• Tree stakes

Do You Need A Pic To Plant A Tree?

Pics are the long metal tools with the pointed ends. When we think of pics, we thinking of mining but in this case, a pic can be used to break up any larger chucks of soil or roots that you struggle to break with your spade/shovel.

Is it required? Not always.

But it is good to have in your proverbial back pocket if you aren't on a budget. 

Dibble Tool Tree Planting

A dibble bar tool is another cool tool that is like a cross between a spade, a shovel, a pic and... well, it's hard to explain.

It has a straight handle bar with a foot bar to stomp was is basically a spade-esque blade into the ground.

Planting trees with a dibble bar is somewhat of a different process from what we covered above, so we'll cover that in another article.

You don't need a dibble bar to plant if you already have our recommended list. 

Do You Need A Rototiller?

A rototiller is a large machine that is used to dig very large holes. If you are planning on planting a ton of trees then you would look into something like a rototiller.

If you are a hobby gardener or planter, this is not required. But they are great because they take all the guesswork out of how deep to plant a tree.

Wheelbarrow (or Tub)

A wheelbarrow is always good to lug around tools, and of course, any excess soil or rocks or whatever else you can think of. In regards to planting a tree, a wheelbarrow is good for catching the soil you dug up from the ground.

If you don't have a wheelbarrow, you can totally use a tub or old pot to catch some soil. And if you are comfortable with leaving the dirt on your ground right near the new hole, that is okay too.

We like using a wheelbarrow or tub to help us stay organized and to keep as much soil as possible. Sometimes its hard to get all that dirt back into the hole.

So there you have it! These are the basic tools you'll need to plant a tree. Of course , there are other tools that you might need depending on the type of tree you're planting, but these are the basics.

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to read the FAQs below if you are looking for more information on tree-planting tools.

We cover our general review methodology review more on a separate page. Otherwise, have a great day!

Keep Reading...

Now that you know how to plant a tree, you should learn how to stake a tree. Getting a tree the proper support (if it needs it) is the key to growth!

Tools For Planting Trees FAQs