Trees help clean the air, provide shade and make our yards more attractive and comfortable. While it may seem like a simple task to dig a hole and drop in a tree "hold on" there's quite a bit to consider before you pick up that shovel. Here's 5 common mistakes to avoid when preparing to plant a tree.

1. Poor location choice.
Deciding where to plant a tree is a long-term commitment. While you may have picked out what you think is the perfect location, planting a tree where it looks the best, provides the most shade or is too close to your home could be a costly mistake. You need to take into consideration the growth habits of the tree. Not only could you damage an underground utility line when you plant it, but as your tree matures its roots may grow into your utility lines and disrupt your service. Roots often grow outward to a diameter one to two times the height of the tree. Therefore, a tree planted too close to your home could damage the foundation leading to costly repairs.

2. Dig a hole that's too deep or too narrow.
Digging the hole where your tree will live is an important step to ensure its survival. If the hole is too deep, the roots don't have access to sufficient oxygen and therefore won't grow properly. A hole that is dug too narrow doesn't allow the root structure to expand and properly anchor the tree. For balled and burlaped and container grown trees dig a hole at least two times as wide and no deeper than the root ball or container; you want to prevent the tree from settling below the grade. The bottom of the hole should be flat. Bare root plants (roses are a good example) should have a smaller hole but still need adequate space for roots to grow. But before you dig any type of hole, be sure to contact JULIE and arrange to have your underground utility lines marked for free.

3. Disregard soil conditions and drainage.
Tree roots need both moisture and oxygen for growth, therefore soil texture and drainage should be checked before planting. Sandy soils are porous and are usually well drained. On the other hand, clay soils have much smaller pores and retain water for longer periods of time. Poor drainage can result in stagnate water pooling around the roots which can lead to "root rot" caused by lack of available oxygen. If a tree receives too much water and there is nowhere for it to go, the water will eventually suffocate and drown the roots slowly killing the tree. To test your planting location for soil drainage you will need to dig a hole about 18 inches deep. Be sure you have contacted JULIE ahead of time so that your underground utility lines marked and you're digging in a safe place. Fill the hole with water and let it stand overnight. If the water has not drained by morning you have a drainage problem on your hands. In areas where drainage is a particular problem, planting in raised beds of 12 to 18 inches of well-drained quality topsoil may be a solution.

4. Poor handling of the tree.
As you get ready to put your tree in the ground, it is very important to carefully transfer it from its current container to its new home. Never pick up a tree by the trunk as it can be damaged - always lift a tree by the root ball or container. Trees come from the nursery in three different forms, bare root, balled and burlapped and container-grown. When working with container-grown trees gently knock the tree out of the container; if that's too difficult cut away the container with hand shears. If planting a tree you'll need to decide whether to remove some or all of the burlap. Natural burlap will disintegrate overtime; however if the burlap has been treated or plasticized remove it completely. Bare root trees should be planted as soon as possible. When buying a bare root tree inspect the roots to ensure that they have numerous lengths of fine root hairs and are kept moist until putting the tree in the ground.

5. Forget to notify JULIE before you dig
Digging without contacting JULIE first can disrupt service to an entire neighborhood, harm you and those around you and potentially result in fines and repair costs. So before you dig, use JULIE's e-request to fill out your location information or make a quick and easy phone call to 811 and help avoid costly mistakes.

Since the depth of utility lines varies, there may be multiple utility lines in the area where you want to dig. That's why every digging project requires a call. You may think, I already know where the utility lines are located, I'm not digging deep enough for marking or this particular project is not in an area that needs marking. Those are dangerous assumptions. One easy phone call to 811 gets your underground utility lines marked for free. Once a professional locator has come out and marked where all the utility lines are and you've waited two business days, you're ready to start your project.