Planting Your Tree
Soak the roots for an hour or so and plant your tree as soon as possible. It will be fine for a day or two in a cool, dark place, but DON’T let the roots dry out.
2. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and a little wider, so that the roots aren’t crowded. Rough up the sides to help the roots penetrate.
3. Plant the tree with the soil line on the trunk just above ground level and the top roots at the surface – when it settles, the entire trunk must be above ground. Anchor the tree with about 6” of soil. You don’t need any compost or fertilizer, but mix the small envelope of Root Rescue (mycorrhizae root stimulant) with 2 gallons of water and pour it over the roots.
4. Shovel in the remaining soil and build a water ring around the tree. Soak the soil thoroughly till it looks like stew. Jiggle the tree up and down to remove any air pockets.
5. Once the water has soaked in, tamp the soil down firmly and spread 2” of mulch around the tree, but don’t let it touch the trunk.
6. Keep the soil and mulch moist, but not soggy. Water it for 5 minutes once a week for the first summer, even if it rains.