How to plant your tree...

1. Make a wide, loose planting area.  Loosen the soil in a wide area two-three times the width of the root ball and only as deep as the container or root ball. In the center of this area, open a whole wider than the root ball, but no deeper.
2. Remove the tree from the container. If in a pot, lay on side and gently pull pot off root ball. Do not pull on the trunk or lift the tree by the trunk. - this can damage the roots or cause the soil to fall away. If the root ball is wrapped in burlap, peel back the top third of the burlap.
3. Place the tree down gently and accurately!. Place the root ball on solidly packed soil so that the root collar (where the tree's trunk meets the roots) is exactly level with the surrounding soil. Position the tree so that it is straight.
4. Refill the hole and start watering!. Fill the hole with the soil taken out. When the hole is half full, saturate with water to remove air pockets, then fill the hole until is even with the ground level. Lightly push the soil in place around the tree and make a three inch mound around the outer edge of the root ball. Water the area slowly & thoroughly.
5. Spread mulch deeply. Spread a ring of mulch three-four inches deep around the tree, covering the planted are but keeping the mulch from touching the tree trunk. get wood chips from a tree service, or buy pine bark chips. Don't buy cypress mulch, which comes from Florida's disappearing cypress forests.

Other tips:

• Don't stake the tree unless it can't stand by itself.
• Only prune dead, crossed or injured branches. All healthy branches should remain.