TreesMedford carefully selects a range of bare-root, native trees and tree varieties that are adapted for conditions in Medford so that you can choose a tree that will be easy to plant and will thrive in your yard.  Most mail order stores have many trees that are not adapted for this area, so you must know something about tree varieties to choose the right tree. Most comparably sized trees from local nurseries have a large, heavy soil root ball that requires professional handling and additional cost. Bare root trees can be handled easily by an adult and helper, and have a larger root mass than balled in burlap trees. Trees in pots rarely do well unless they are very small. We make it easy to order and simple to pick up.

A bare-root tree comes with no soil on its roots. Our 7-10’ bare root trees are therefore lighter, easier to transport, easier to plant and less expensive than a comparably sized tree that is balled in burlap or potted. Bare-root trees are also more likely to thrive, because they generally have a longer set of roots, giving them a headstart over a balled in burlap tree whose roots are chopped shorter. The longer and straighter roots make a bare-root tree more resilient than a potted tree, whose roots grow around the inside of the pot. Mail order bare-root trees are generally a lot smaller than the trees from TreesMedford (7’-10’)because of problems with shipping, so their growth will always be 3-5 years behind the trees you get from TreesMedford.

Trees from TreesMedford can be planted in your yard. They can be planted next to the street only on private ways. If you want a tree to plant in front of your house in the sidewalk strip next to a city street, contact the Medford DPW (DPW@medford-ma.gov) and put your request into SeeClickFix  If there is any doubt about underground utilities in the area you want to put your tree, contact Dig Safe.

People who live in the hottest neighborhoods in Medford – south of the Mystic River and Salem Street, i.e., Wellington, Glenwood, South Medford and Hillside are eligible for a free tree. You must also be able to water the tree regularly and take care of it.  If you live in an apartment building, make sure you have the permission of your landlord to plant it on the property. If you are interested, click here.

We offer trees at reduced cost for people in other neighborhoods. The tree, gel, watering bag, and soil amendment cost us about $150, and we offer them for $50. We encourage people who are interested in reducing the heat in their neighborhood and improving Medford’s tree canopy to give generously beyond the $50. 

When the nursery tells us the delivery date, we will email you, usually 7-10 days before delivery. The trees are delivered on a weekday.

What happens if I don’t get the message about the pick up date?

As you can imagine, it is critical for us to know whether you got that message, so we request that you hit reply when you get the email. We will make additional attempts to contact you using the contact information you provide, but if those attempts do not yield a response, we will be forced to find another home for your tree.

Spring tree delivery normally occurs at the very end of March or beginning of April. Fall delivery comes at the end of October or early November.

The roots of each tree are enclosed in a plastic bag that has a gel to keep the roots moist during the trip by truck from New York state. We supply a watering bag and soil amendment. You will add the soil amendment and gel to the soil when you plant the tree.

You will need a vehicle unless you are walking a short distance. You can either tie the tree on top of your vehicle or load it inside. Though it is probably easiest if you have access to a truck, most people don’t and load the tree into their car. They pull the top of the tree through the lift gate of their hatchback or SUV and out the front passenger side window. It is helpful to have a tarp or dropcloth because the gel in the bag does not always stay there. People with a sedan can tie it on top with a rope. Volunteers at the pick-up site will help you load your tree.  It’s a good idea to have a helper when you move the tree out of your car and plant the tree because the plastic bag around the roots is often awkward to carry.

You should plant your tree very soon after you get it. We recommend digging the hole the night before, and making sure the soil is wet when you plant it. Detailed planting instructions are provided in this PDF

Once the tree is properly planted, you will need to install the watering bag and fill it with water every week unless it rains so much that the soil is saturated. If you see the water quickly leaking out of the bottom of the bag when you fill it, you are putting water in the wrong hole. The mulch ring around your tree should be about 6 inches away from the trunk or any exposed roots to reduce the potential for disease, root girding, or rot. The mulch ring should extend out to the perimeter of the hole that you dug. The mulch should be the shape of a donut, not a volcano.

If your tree dies, please contact us. We may be able to help you figure out what went wrong. TreesMedford is not able to guarantee the survival of the trees we provide.

The first two tree giveaways were supported by Mystic River Watershed Association. Since then, the program has been supported by generous Medford residents who care about heat, climate equity and the quality of life in the city. You can show your support by volunteering or contributing to TreesMedford.

TreesMedford is an independent 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization. The City provides no financial or support or in-kind resources to TreesMedford for our free tree or watering programs, but they are generally enthusiastic about the work we do and help us advertise our Community Tree Program. They supplied matching support for DCR grants we wrote for trees planted on city property. We have helped them develop tree ordinances and written grants that supported an inventory of the City’s trees.  We have organized the watering of young trees that are planted by the city, provided a sounding board for the Urban Tree Management Plan, and drafted tree ordinances for the city council.