Georgia Guide to Growing Trees

Georgia has a diverse ecosystem with over 100 tree species that can grow in the state. If you are interested in planting trees, there is no better time than now! The following guide will show you how to grow trees in Georgia!

The Best Flowering Trees to Grow in Georgia

Pink Miracle Rose Tree

The Pink Miracle rose is a unique pink color unlike any hue available, and it will keep your backyard looking amazing for months. This new introduction is the perfect combination of deep pink color with an elegant tree form. The Pink Miracle Rose is compact in size but produces abundant clusters of vibrant pink blooms and also offers vibrant green foliage year after year.

Planting & Care

When planting a tree, start by selecting an area with well-drained soil and partial sun to full shade (an area that receives 3 to 6 hours of sunlight per day). Areas with good air circulation also promote vigorous, healthy growth. Once you’ve selected your location, dig a hole that’s at least 2 or 3 times. Summer mulching, watering, and pruning are necessary for healthy the plant. It is best to fertilize monthly to encourage new growth in spring and summer. It is also important to water generously throughout the year if possible. When fertilizing always follow label instructions.

Enduring Summer Crape Myrtle

With the Enduring Summer Crape Myrtle, you can get a large number of blooms in the tightest spaces with just a compact flowering shrub. With its size that doesn't exceed four to five feet tall and clusters of vibrant red flowers that last for at least four months, this variety is perfect for your garden. The Enduring Summer tree looks beautiful even without the need for trimming or chemicals. These trees thrive in hot conditions and resist drought, humidity, and other things to look great no matter where you plant them. Even colder climates in northern areas are not a problem for this plant because it thrives to temperatures of 0 degrees or below. A Crape Myrtle that thrives in these cold conditions would be unheard-of, but the Enduring Summer brings vibrancy into even the most frigid climate.

Planting & Care

Select your planting area and prepare your soil. Find the spot that gets 6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day and make a hole twice as deep as the root ball but only as wide as it needs to be. Remove the tree from its pot, place it in a hole, level with the surface of the soil, and backfill with tamped down soil and water. Mulch the soil around the tree to conserve moisture and prevent weeds from growing. To ensure your young tree grows to its peak potential, water once or twice each week and you may need to increase it during the warmer seasons. The easiest way to tell when you need more water is by checking the soil with your finger - if it's dry 3-4 inches below the surface then it’s time for some watering! For the rest of your Crape year, your plant will benefit from a light application of fertilizer in early spring and midsummer. Follow label instructions when applying a balanced fertilizer to your Crape Myrtle. You won’t need to prune it unless you’d like to shape it. To make branches grow, cut them cleanly with scissors when they exceed eight inches long. Remove any diseased, damaged, or low-growing branches during late winter (cut their stems at ground level with a sharpened blade).

The Best Shade Trees in Georgia

Shademaster Honeylocust Tree

The Shademaster Honeylocust provides the perfect dappled shade with a classic rounded shape. The adaptable, tolerant, hardy, and pest-free tree is highly cultivated for shade crops in Georgia. In addition to being thornless and seedless, the Shademaster Honeylocust Tree is easily maintained. This durable tree can grow anywhere - in dry or wet soils, polluted air, poor soil conditions, alkaline or acidic soils, clay or sandy soils, cold weather heat waves - despite major changes in its environment. Shade trees come in all shapes and sizes, but many homeowners prefer the classic look of a Shademaster Honeylocust. A mature Shademaster stands tall at large heights while being just the right size to ensure a timeless Americana feel on any lawn it is placed. And the leaves are small and delicate, making them easy to clean up in autumn. Other shade trees have large, messy leaves that leave a big mess to clean up in autumn. The Shademaster Honeylocust's leaves turn from bright green color in spring to golden yellow color during fall - giving off an autumnal feel similar to nostalgic sights and smells of the changing seasons.

Planting & Care

To grow a Shademaster Honeylocust tree, you should choose a spot with full sun exposure (6-8 hours of sunlight per day) and prepare the ground by digging a hole twice as wide but just as deep. A light layer of mulch around the trunk will let flourishing plant life grow under the tree's canopy. Shademaster Honeylocust tolerates both wet and dry conditions. Be sure to water your tree weekly during its early life as this ensures proper growth. The only other maintenance required is in checking about 2 inches down for wetness before watering when necessary. Other than planting and watering, this tree does not require any pruning, fertilizer, or pest control.

Shumard Oak Tree

The Shumard oak is one of the most resilient trees you can plant in your yard. It's able to withstand floods, droughts, and strong winds with no need for concern- this tree is perfect to cultivate if you're looking to build a structure or crafting furniture from wood. Choose a durable Shumard Oaktree for your next family gift. For generations, this resilient tree will grow strong in all conditions and provide your family with a healthy living space. The Shumard Oak is native to Kansas, but tough nearly everywhere else. The trees can live almost anywhere from urban landscapes to the soggy parts by rivers or dry fields and they thrive on most soils. This tree will grow in any soil condition as well and it's also tolerant and adaptable. If you've had trouble planting picky trees that either died or are doing very little, I recommend trying another one – the Shumard Oak might do better for you, even if they have a tougher life in your garden.

Planting & Care

You should plant your Red Oak in a spot in your yard that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight each day. Pick a spot that will give this tree space to grow, and dig a hole large enough to accommodate the root ball of the tree. After you plant the tree, tamp down the soil until it is firm so that water can penetrate its roots. Encircle the base of the tree with mulch or other material for moisture retention. Watering deeply once a week should help your young tree establish roots. Once it matures, water an inch of rainfall each month and add fertilizer once a year if necessary.

The Best Fruit Trees in Georgia

Pink Lady Apple Tree

Our Pink Lady Apple Tree shows off its beauty in all four seasons: it is beautiful in the spring and summer as well as during autumn when it bears fresh fruit. It’s also one of the fastest-growing trees, which means that you get the fruits within the first year. Don't have a green thumb, our Pink Lady variety is hardy and versatile. At Pink Lady, this is only the beginning. Our pink lady does fabulously in hot climates and still thrives in cold-temperature areas too. We have a tree that is highly resistant to frost and heat so chances are no matter how great you think your green thumb is, you will be wowed by these results! When the weather starts to warm up, you can expect creamy white to pale pink blossoms. Once summer rolls around, emerald green leaves will begin appearing on all your favorite trees. Fall brings with it shades of orange, maroon, and yellow before fiery colors turn everything red in October. The color-changing fruit that arrives this time of year is perfect for fall baking and preserving recipes.

Planting & Care

Select a sunny, well-drained area with good drainage. Then dig a hole that is twice the width of and as deep as your root ball. Place your tree in the hole by inserting it from its top-down to avoid any damage to the roots. Backfill and firm soil around the roots when you add more dirt if necessary for appropriate stability. Put a layer of mulch at least 2" around the base of your tree during colder months to help it stay fresh and clean. A pink lady apple will benefit from a regular watering habit each week. Water more often in times of extreme heat or drought. Make sure the soil around your tree is moist before it's time to water again. You may want to prune during dormancy and whenever any suckers or dead, damaged branches form for the best growth. To get pippy lady apple trees, you would need a second variety that is good at pollinating. Below are the most effective apple trees for this area: Gala Apple Tree, Fuji Apple Tree, Granny Smith Apple Tree, Winesap-Apple tree, McIntosh Apple Trees, and Honeycrisp apple tree.

Harvester Peach Tree

The Harvester Peach Tree is a relatively new addition to the peach family and has quickly risen in popularity due to its dependability. You’ll get more peaches even during your first year of growth. The Harvester variety grows well in cooler climates, such as those found in our sister state Alabama. They are high-yielding trees that will reward you with bushels of fresh peaches from your backyard (and they grow fairly small, so there’s not too much maintenance). Harvester Peach Trees grow best in mixed soil, in an area that is either partially to fully sunny, and able to tolerate heat and humidity. With only one Harvester Peach Tree you can expect production of fruit; however, more trees provide larger crops.

Planting & Care

Plant your Harvester Peach Tree in well-drained soil and an area receiving full sun. Protect your tree from heavy winds by planting on the sunny side of a building or home. When you're ready to plant, dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep. Then, place your tree and cover the roots with soil, watering occasionally as you go along to remove air pockets while patting down until properly covered over. The soil around your Harvester Peach Tree should be moist. It typically needs watering only once a week, so leave the hose at the base of the tree for two hours to ensure sufficient moisture. If it is very hot, consider giving it more water to prevent yellowing leaves and brown or dying leaves due to groundwater deficiency. To keep your tree looking healthy, it needs fertilizer. The fertilizers should have a balanced ratio of nitrogen (12-12-12), phosphorus (12-8-6), and potassium (5-10-15). Apply ¾ lb in the Spring just before pushing out new growth, again in the summer if it doesn't receive rain or irrigation, and once more in fall. If you want your Harvester Peach Tree to bear fruit, it'll need to be trimmed during the first two years of its growth. Cut in late winter or early spring using pruning shears and making cuts at a 45-degree angle - trim away any broken/dead branches and those that are crisscrossing by cutting below the deadwood. After your tree bears fruit, thin the peaches to make room for growth and general health. The ones on top or the outside are more likely to be ready first. Fully ripened peaches will have no green skin when fully ripe and will twist off with a little force.

When is The Best Time to Plant Trees in Georgia

Plant trees in Georgia during the winter months. Trees are sensitive to too much heat and will not survive a summer, so they should be planted when it's cold outside. Trees planted during the winter months grow stronger and healthier than those planted at other times of the year. You want your new tree to be as happy as possible, so it will provide shade and beauty for years to come!

Can You Plant All Season Long?

The answer to this question is a resounding yes! With some planning and preparation, you can plant all season long in Georgia. Planting trees, shrubs, and perennials can be done as soon as the ground is workable. Many homeowners are surprised to learn that they can easily grow plants indoors too.

What are The Best Trees to Plant Each Season in Georgia

Springtime

The trees that are best to plant in the springtime are those species with an early flowering habit, such as dogwood and magnolia. These plants provide a beautiful display of flowers before they grow their leaves and start to take on different shapes once summer arrives.

Summertime

In the warmer months, it's usually best to go with fruit-bearing tree varieties like peach or apple trees which will help give you delicious fruits throughout the late fall season when most other trees have lost their foliage and gone dormant during winter.

Fall time

The autumn time is perfect for planting deciduous species and varieties such as maple, oak, and birch trees. These plants provide some excellent color through the fall months before wilting away in winter and leaving behind their seeds.

Wintertime

In the wintertime, evergreen species such as pine or fir are ideal to add a little bit more color into your yard or garden while protecting from harsh weather conditions like snowfall or rainstorms. Evergreens also provide excellent protection for your home or garden.

What Trees Have The Least Invasive Roots in Georgia

The Chinese Lantern Tree (Abutilon x Hybridus) and The White Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) are the least invasive trees in Georgia so that you can find the perfect fit for your property.