Container Trees, Shrubs, Evergreens and Perennails
- Dig the hole 10″ to 12″ larger than the diameter of the container. Dig the depth of the hole so that when the plant is placed in the hole it is is even with the surface level of the ground. If your soil is poorly drained dig the hole so that when the plant is placed in the hole the top of the soil in the container is elevated above the surface level of the ground by one half to one inch.
- Remove the pot from the container by gently tapping several times around the outside of it, laying it on its side, then gently pulling it out of the container. If necessary, press down on the top of the container to loosen and remove it.
- If the roots are circling the pot, gently cut them on four sides with a sharp knife. Place the plant in the hole, fill the hole half full with the excavated soil. Put a hose on slow trickle, water the soil and work it to remove any air pockets. Fill the rest of the hole with soil, water and work it in the same manner.
- Straighten the plant if required and re-compact the soil around the plant by using your feet (walk around the trunk in a circular manner). The plant should not be staked unless it is loose or has a large top mass and has been planted in a windy location where it might be blown over.
- On larger plants, build a small moat around the plant at the point where the existing soil meets the back fill soil. Depending upon the size of the plant, a two to four inch wall will suffice.
- Mulch the plant with a three inch layer of premium shredded hardwood bark. Minimally, place the mulch in the moat, however mulching further out is better in that it will assist in retaining water over a broader area.
- Dig the hole a minimum of 8″ to 12″ larger than the diameter of the ball to be planted. Dig the depth of the hole so that when the plant is placed in it, the plant will be elevated approximately two to three inches (one to two inches for shrubs). Do not dig the hole deeper, do not place back filled soil in the bottom of the hole (you do not want the plant to settle in deeper at a later date). The planting depth is critical. When planting in a heavy clay soil the ball should be raised 4″ to 8″ depending upon how heavy the clay is.
- Carefully and gently place the plant in the hole so as not to tear the roots away from the tree. Make sure it is elevated to the proper level as described in point one above.
- Make sure the plant is straight, check the elevation of the plant to see it is correct. Fill the hole with the excavated soil to about a third of the way to set it. Do not amend the soil with any type of amendment.
- Gently remove any twine, rope or burlap wrapped around the trunk of the tree. Remove any tags, twine or marking tape from the top of the tree at the same time. If a plant has been harvested in a wire cage, do not remove the wire cage. If the tree has a wire cage, gently remove the rope that has been used to tie the wire cage to the trunk of the tree. Do not loosen, remove or pull back the burlap on the ball. Bend the prongs of the wire basket downward to prevent them from sticking out of the ground.
- Recheck to see the plant is still straight in the hole. Put a hose on slow trickle, water the first third of the soil which is in the hole and work it to remove any air pockets. Fill the second third of the hole and do the same. Fill the balance of the hole and do the same.
- Build a moat around the plant at the point where the existing soil meets the back fill soil. Depending upon the size of the plant, a four to six inch wall will suffice.
- Mulch the plant with a three inch layer of premium shredded hardwood bark. Minimally, place the mulch in the moat, however mulching further out is better in that it will assist in retaining water over a broader area.
Balled and Burlapped Trees, Shrubs and Evergreens
Homeowner Planting Guidelines - Last Update: 09.01 .O3
