When you’re planting a new tree, it might seem like a good idea to mix compost, peat moss, or other rich materials into the soil. That practice is called “amending” the soil, and it’s a common recommendation in older gardening books and videos. The idea behind it is simple: give the young tree a boost by surrounding its roots with nutrient rich, loose soil to help it grow faster. Unfortunately, amending the soil can actually backfire.

Amending the soil creates an artificial pocket around the roots. This pocket is much softer and more nutrient rich than the surrounding native soil, so the roots have no real incentive to spread out. Instead, they tend to circle inside that amended area like they’re stuck in a flowerpot. Over time, this limits the root system and can lead to poor stability, poor drought tolerance, and even girdling roots that strangle the tree from within.

The best approach is to backfill the planting hole with the same soil you dug out of it. That way, the tree’s roots grow into the same kind of soil they’ll have to live in long term. You can always top dress with compost or mulch later if you want to give it a little love, but leave the soil in the hole alone. Trees do better when they’re encouraged to adapt right from the start.