Dig a hole one-and-a-half to two times as wide and slightly deeper than the root ball or wrapped base. Don't amend the soil too much. The roots do better when starting out in soil much like what they’ll encounter beyond the planting hole. Miracle-Gro carries a wide choice of garden soils for trees enriched with continuous-release plant food, available in-store.

Add several spadefuls of compost to the planting hole, but nothing more. Note that every plant has its best side. Trees often have one side that looks better than the other sides. Before planting, examine the tree from all sides to position its best “face” accordingly.

Measure the depth of the root ball and also the planting hole as you dig, then measure again before positioning the tree. Use a starter fertilizer from brands such as Scotts and Vigoro, which promote vigorous growth, available at The Home Depot. If you’ve purchased a large tree, it’s especially worth the investment.

Beware of placing the tree in hole that is too shallow. Gardeners often plant trees so that the rim of the container soil or the rising mound of the roots is revealed. This dries out the plant. Position the tree so that the point where the trunk meets the roots is only an inch or so below the soil level.

Always move a tree by lifting or rolling the root ball. Never lift the tree by the trunk, which may break. If the tree is large, you may have to set it in the hole fully wrapped.

For more tips on staking a tree, check out our helpful project.

If the tree is in a cardboard-like container, place it in the hole and cut away as much as you can, but it is not necessary to remove all of the pot. If the tree root is wrapped in burlap, remove as much of the burlap as possible. To prevent a tree from strangling as it grows, it’s crucial to cut off or pull away any twine or wire wrapped around the trunk.

If the roots are tangled or pot-bound, loosen them with your fingers, a cultivator claw or even slice through them with the sharp edge of a spade to break them up and encourage them to grow outward.

If you are planting a bare-root plant, first soak the roots in a bucket of water for eight to 24 hours to hydrate them thoroughly. For best results, add root stimulator to the water to help plants overcome transplant shock. Trusted brands such as Vigoro carry a wide selection available in-store. Prepare the planting hole as you would for a container tree. Then make a rough cone shape of dirt at the bottom of the hole, and spread the roots over the cone.

Proceed with filling around the roots with soil, tamp lightly, water well and add mulch in a doughnut shape around the tree, but away from the trunk. Scotts Nature Scapes carries a wide variety of mulch that supports growth and provides organic matter to soil, available in-store.

To learn how to prune a tree, check out our helpful project guide.