Petatree

Planting your Petatree Memorial Tree

Your pet has died, you have received the cremated remains from your vet and you have decided that a tree would be a fitting memorial for your loving, furry friend. If you’re reading this blog there is a very good chance that you purchased a Petatree planting kit or spoke to some one who has, and while doing so, also chose the type of tree that best suits your pet.
There are many thoughts and feelings that go into the decision you make concerning the type of tree you will ultimately choose. Some are emotional: perhaps while on the Petatree website you perused the list of tree types and the interesting, curious and sometimes downright humorous folkloric stories that describe the “character” of each tree.
But there are also more pragmatic reasons that enter the decision-making process; in this article we explore them.

“I don’t have a green thumb…help”

Petatree provides clients a tree seedling of thier choice as part of the planting kit. First, a clarification on the term “seedling”: a seedling is a germinated seed of the tree type you have chosen from Petatree which has been raised in optimum growing conditions for a minimum of one year.
Some people (both within the industry as well as “us laymen”) use the terms “seedling” and “sapling” interchangeably - they both refer to the same thing. However, for Petatree purposes, whether you call them seedling or sapling, they are ALWAYS at least one year old.
This is important, because these little friends are going to travel a distance, perhaps under varying temperature conditions before arriving at your doorstep. By year one, they are strong, healthy and capable of experiencing the “real world”.
Once you receive your kit, follow the instructions that are provided, or visit our website to view our web tutorial to assemble the Petatree planting kit which includes planting your tree seedling into the soil within the Petatree urn.

“Where do I plant the planting kit?”

Great question! The Petatree urn has been designed to start composting once it is exposed to moisture like that which has been absorbed by the soil and pH buffer from watering your seedling.
So, the Petatree urn needs to be planted into a soil medium - but where?
Most people think - logically - that trees grow outdoors and should be planted outside, somewhere. However, we recommend planting the Petatree urn into a planter indoors; you may have ordered one with your planting kit. If not, a standard plant or tree planter with a base diameter of at least 6 inches in diameter and a height of 12 inches will do the trick.
Add some small pebbles at the bottom of this planter before adding soil. That will allow suitable drainage to occur when you water your seedling.
Add a base of soil of at least two inches, or as much as it takes so that top of the Petatree urn reaches the top of the planter. Then, placing the Petatree urn onto that soil base, centered in the planter, add soil in and around the Petatree urn until there is no longer any (air) space between the interior of the planter and the Petatree urn.

“Why can’t I plant my Petatree urn outside?”

You can….unless Mother Nature says otherwise. The fact is, the suggested tree planting season begins when frost leaves the ground, which depending on where you live, is late May.
The period from mid-August through October is usually best. If weather conditions are dry, it often pays to wait until the following spring. Trees may grow slowly for the first few years as they concentrate all their energy on root development to prevent "transplant shock” and develop a healthy base for growth.

“Where is the best place to plant my tree?”

This is a popular question from people who have chosen a specific site for their final Petatree memorial planting.
Trees and shrubs have soil and sunlight requirements that must be considered when selecting where they will be planted. All will do best if placed in sunny locations and in soils that have reasonably good drainage and ample topsoil. Make sure you know what conditions typically occur at your planting site before moving forward. Also, check out “Forest of Friends” on the Petatree website that provides Companion Planting Communities across Canada for those who wish a place to both permanently plant their Memorial and visit it when they wish. Finally, visit the Petatree website for detailed planting and growing instructions for your specific tree choice.

Planting your Petatree Memorial Tree in a planter and keeping it indoors until you decide where your final planting place will be is a great way of ensuring that your seedling gets off to a great start. But what you may find is that - before you know it - that little seedling is growing its way into your heart just as your late pet did. Well good news: no matter how big or small your living space, a seedling of virtually any tree type can live and thrive indoors (with appropriate sun and moisture exposure) for at least 5 years. You’ll be surprised how little space it takes up and how much joy you get every time you look at and reflect on the love you shared with the furry friend it represents.