Loblolly Pine Trees for Sale Online
The Loblolly Pine Tree or the Pinus taeda is a wonderful tree for any yard. With its tolerance of colder temperatures and many soil types, it makes for a perfect tree for pretty much any situation. One of the meanings of the word loblolly is actually mud puddle which coincidentally these pine trees often grow in.
| Hardiness Zone: | 6-9 |
|---|---|
| Mature Height: | 40 to 90 Feet |
| Mature Width: | 20 to 40 Feet |
| Classification: | Evergreen tree |
| Sunlight: | Full sun |
| Habit: | Upright |
| Foliage: | Green |
| Soil Condition: | Any well drained soil, can tolerate moist soil |
| Water Requirements: | Water well until established |
How to Care for Loblolly Pine
Before you buy a Loblolly Pine Trees, make sure to read about the care instructions that are required and recommended to keep this plant healthy and flourishing.
How do I plant a Loblolly Pine Tree?
Never plant trees deeper than originally planted in the pot. Doing so can cause rotting of the stem and death to the tree. Loblolly Pines are very drought tolerant, however they grow very slow without adequate water. Staking young trees is recommended. When tying trees to stakes remember the tree will continue to grow. Loosely tie the Loblolly Pine with several twist ties to allow for growth. Check trees every three months and loosen as needed. If this is not done, the twist tie will grow into the tree causing injury. The one question that comes up often, “when is the best time to plant.”? For the most part, container trees can be planted year around, provided the ground isn’t frozen. Below Virginia many nurseries and Christmas tree growers field plant year around, weather permitting. When planting a potted Loblolly Pine, remember the only water source the tree has, is its small root ball, and all the water the tree uses must come from there until new roots can grow into the surrounding soil.
How should I water my Loblolly Pine Tree?
After back filling and lightly compacting the 50/50 mix of existing soil and compost give the plant a good deep watering. This is not to be rushed. most of the water you put on the plant at first will run away from the plant until the soil is soaked. A general rule of thumb is to count to 5 for every one gallon of pot size. For example a one gallon pot would be watered until you count to 5 a three gallon pot would be 15 and so on. Check the plant daily for the first week or so and then every other day there after. Water using the counting method for the first few weeks. More plants die from being over-watered rather than under-watered.
How should I fertilize an Loblolly Pine?
We recommend when planting your Loblolly Pine to use Bio-tone starter fertilizer by Espoma. We have tried many so called “starter fertilizers” over the years and have come to rely on Bio-tone exclusively for our own use. Simply mix the recommended amount of Bio-tone into the back-fill soil and water in generously when back-filled. Bio-tone® Starter Plus is an all-natural plant food that is combined with a stronger concentration of our beneficial bacteria along with both endo and ecto mycorrhizae. Basically the “good” fungus in Bio-tone colonizes on the growing roots of your newly planted plant and does not allow disease causing fungus to attack the new roots. It has also shown promise in stimulating the growth of the new roots which means quicker establishment for you plant.
How to mulch an Loblolly Pine Tree?
We highly recommend that you mulch your plants with either a ground hardwood mulch or a ground cypress mulch depending on your local availability. Any type of mulch will do but cypress or hardwood mulch will be of a higher quality and provide better nutrition overall as they breakdown. Mulching helps to keep weeds away which will compete with your new investment for water and nutrients. A 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch is sufficient but remember to take care not to cover any part of the stem of the plant with mulch. Its better to leave a one inch gap of space between the mulch and the stem or trunk of the plant. as the tree begins to mature you’ll find it will start to produce its own mulch in the form of fallen needles or “Pine Straw”. In September and October, this pine “sheds “all of its needles that grew out the previous year. This is normal and is actually a sign of a healthy Loblolly Pine. These needles make excellent mulch and can be either left in place or raked up and used to mulch other acid loving plants.
