What are evergreens? First of all, evergreen trees do not shed their leaves like deciduous trees. Evergreen is a term used to describe trees that will continue growing new leaves at the same time other mature leaves will be shedding. According to the general definition, most people associate the word evergreen with Pines, and Christmas Trees. However, any tree that retains its green leaves all year round and survives cold climates, dry seasons, and hot temperatures is an evergreen. For more information read How to Choose an Evergreen Tree for Your Garden?

Care Before Planting Time

Put them where they will receive partial to full shade, and give them a good supply of water. Don’t store them in the garage, shed, or house though even if the weather is freezing. If you do not plant them soon, you know where to keep them; in the pots. For sun-loving trees, shift them to a sunny area after 1-2 days of exposing them to the shade. Wash your plant with water on a daily or alternate-day basis, but allow the soil not to get dry.

Preparing the Planting Site

Soil preparation is very important if you want the trees in your landscape to thrive. If this is not possible, then fill your containers with extra organic matter to loosen up your bad soil. Select an area of size three times that of the pot diameter and depth of the spade. That is 2 to 4 gallons of well-decomposing manure, compost, topsoil or peat moss, one bucket per tree. To fasten the growth, use rock phosphate, bone-meal or tree-planting fertilizer amendments into the ground. Ensure that you get rid of weed roots together with large stones but leave small stones because they help you in drainage. Till the soil, add the compost and fertilizer into it, compact a bit to make it flat for planting and leave a portion of the compost to be used for mulching.

Digging the Hole

Take a spade and prepare a hole at the place you want to plant your tree, usually a hole twice as wide as the pot that it came in and not deeper than the pot. In the case the hole is deeper, press down the soil at the base of the hole to form a firm base.

Removing the Pot

Return your tree to the hole and carefully remove the pot from the root ball by trying to shake the pot a couple of times and loosening the edges. If the root ball is not solid, leave the tree in the pot, cut off the bottom, put the tree in the hole, sprinkle some soil to make it steady and then cut and strip the pot around the tree.

Planting the Tree

Now put the tree in the middle of the hole and ensure the top of the root ball is even with the soil surrounding it. Loosen the soil forward in this hole and fill roughly three-quarters of it around your tree and then tread it down around the roots of the tree. If you have left the pot on, do the same thing, but when you have finished the process, sever the pot along the line started and then carefully extricate the cut pot from the soil.

Watering the Tree

Next, pour a whole lot of water into this hole to let the water seep down into the ground and the root ball. Add sufficient amounts of water and then let them sit until the water has all washed away. This will provide ample water near the roots, where it is required the most.For more information read Best Watering Tips for Happy, Healthy Plants.

Finishing the Planting

Place soil in the hole, and level it slightly. Bury the root ball in no more than an inch of soil, and make sure the soil is even to enable it to hold water. You can also optionally dig a low embankment around the tree to hold the water. Lime the root area with two inches of organic material and then water sufficient.

Staking

Staking is often unnecessary and can cause upper tree breakage. If the area is very windy, use two short stakes on opposite sides of the tree, but always stay outside the area of the roots. Wrap the trunk with a cloth or other material then tie sturdy ropes from the stake to the trunk allowing some movement. Remove stakes after one growing season. For more information read How to Repot a Plant?

Aftercare

Water your tree regularly in the amount of once a week or twice a week in hot weather. Water deeply throughout the area for the entire tree. With proper care, your evergreen will grow well, and you will grow vigorously with healthy foliage throughout the year.