Planting a tree this spring? How to pick one that won't become tomorrow's removal job

A lot of the trees we remove across the Redlands and Brisbane were never the problem. The spot was. A fig planted a metre from the house, a gum that was knee-high under the powerlines twenty years ago, a row of fast screening trees now shading out the whole yard. Spring is the most popular time to plant, so it's worth five minutes of planning before you dig the hole.

Start with the size it will be, not the size it is

The label on the pot usually tells you the mature height and spread. Believe it, and then allow a bit more, because SEQ's warm, wet summers grow trees fast. Before you buy, stand where you want to plant and picture the tree at full size:

• Will the canopy hang over the roof, gutters or the neighbour's yard?
• Is it under or near powerlines?
• Is it close to the house slab, the driveway, the pool, or underground pipes?
• Will it block the sun from your solar panels or the vegie patch?

A common rule of thumb is to plant larger trees at least as far from the house as their mature canopy spreads, and further again for big-rooted species. If you can't meet that, you want a smaller tree, not a bigger one kept small with constant cutting.

Look up, and look down

Powerlines are the classic mistake. Anything planted under or beside them will eventually need regular clearance work, and trimming near lines isn't a DIY job. Energex has advice on which plants are safe to grow near its network, so check it before planting along the front boundary.

Underground is just as important. Call or lodge a request with Before You Dig Australia (it's free) so you know where pipes and cables run. Roots go looking for water, and an old cracked sewer line is an open invitation.

Trees that suit most SEQ backyards

These are all reliable, locally suited trees that stay a manageable size for a typical suburban block. Exact size varies with the variety and conditions, so check the label for the one you buy:

• Tuckeroo: tough, coastal-hardy shade tree that handles bayside conditions and stays compact
• Water gum: neat, dense native that copes with wet ground, good for shade without a giant canopy
• Lilly pilly: comes in everything from hedging varieties to small trees, great for screening (choose a psyllid-resistant variety)
• Native frangipani: scented flowers, upright shape, fits smaller yards
• Blueberry ash: slender native with pretty flowers and berries the birds love
• Bottlebrush: hardy, flowers heavily and brings in the nectar-feeding birds

Your local nursery, and the native plant lists on Brisbane and Redland council websites, can suggest more that suit your soil and aspect.

What to think twice about

• Big figs and large gums on small blocks: magnificent trees, but they need room, and their roots and limbs need space away from structures
• Anything marketed as super fast screening: fast growth usually means weaker wood and a bigger tree than you planned for
• Invasive species: camphor laurel, African tulip tree and umbrella tree spread into bushland and waterways across SEQ, so leave them out

Plant it right and it pays you back

Dig the hole about twice as wide as the pot but no deeper, and keep the top of the root ball level with the ground. Burying the trunk is one of the most common reasons young trees fail. Water deeply while it establishes through its first summer, keep mulch a hand's width off the trunk, and use a loose stake only if it's in a windy spot.

Then give it a formative prune in its first few years. A few well-placed cuts while the tree is young sets it up with strong structure, and that's far cheaper than fixing a weak fork on a mature tree later.

Replacing a tree that's outgrown its spot?

If you've got a tree that's already too big for where it is, we can remove it safely, grind the stump so you can replant in the same area, and talk you through what will suit the space better. We're qualified arborists and fully insured, and quotes are free across the Redlands and Greater Brisbane.