If a new tree has been planted in front of your home or business, we hope you will welcome this new addition to your community forest and will adopt the tree. You can care for the tree by following some simple do's and don'ts.

Do's

• Do water the tree deeply—twice a week with 10 gallons of water each time.
• Do keep the tree pit clean of trash, weeds, and dog excrement.
• Do plant perennial flowers or ground cover, but not grass, in the tree pit.
• Do provide 3" of mulch in the tree pit, leaving an area of bare soil 3" in diameter around the base of the trunk.
• Do report tree sickness or vandalism by calling 617.635.PARK.

Don'ts

• Don't dump chemicals in tree pits, or other toxic substances like oil, wastewater or cleaning solvents.
• Don't wrap tree trunks or branches with rope or wire.
• Don't open car doors onto a tree trunk.
• Don't nail signs or chain bikes to trees.