If your soil drains slowly, consider raising the planting area by berming the site. The tree will not be planted at soil level, but about 1/3 above the soil level. The soil will need to be mounded around the roots of the tree, and then mulch applied.
In soils that have no drainage problem, dig your planting hole no deeper than the depth of the roots or the root ball and about three times wider than the root ball. The tree should also sit slightly above its planting hole when you are finished. This will allow for settling.
Ease the tree into its hole. The back fill will be the original soil. The current practice is not to add any amendments, as the goal is to encourage the tree to extend its roots into the surrounding soil. Otherwise, the roots might stay confined to the "better" soil.
When the hole is about half filled with soil, water the tree to settle the dirt. As the water percolates away, continue to back fill the hole. Do not trample the ground harshly around the tree, which compacts the soil. Make a shallow cuplike dam around the perimeter of the planting hole to hold water. Add about three to four inches of mulch, taking care not to rest the mulch against the bark.
During the first growing season, keep the tree moist. These trees require from 1 to 1-1/2 inches of water a week during the growing season. Continue to water regularly until the ground freezes.
Apply tree wrap to keep the critters from chewing on the bark and girdling the tree in the winter. Tree wrap also helps to prevent sunscald.
With proper selection, siting, and planting, you can enjoy the beauty of flowering trees within two to three seasons. I know of no better way to celebrate the start of the warm season than in the presence of these pastel beauties!
March "Honey do" List
1. Take a walk around your yard, and assess any winter damage to trees and shrubs. Prune these plants cleanly.
2. If you plan on hiring a lawn service for your fertilizing needs, get several bids now, before the start of the growing season.
3. Continue to start seeds indoors of annual vegetables and flowers. Count back from your average last frost date to decide when to start your plants. If a transplant takes six weeks to grow before setting out, count back from that time to determine when to start your plants.
