I have purchased a tree, large shrub or large evergreen in a (burlap and) wire basket. How do I plant it?
A. Before you read these instructions you should be aware that you need to be in reasonably good shape to plant a wire-basket sized tree and that these trees can weigh several hundred pounds (or kilos). Unless you are a keen do-it-yourselfer planting these beasties is best done by professionals. Unfortunately, many of the so called professionals, especially those involved with new home construction landscaping, do a slipshod job when it comes to planting these trees. Knowing how it should be done may help you to make sure they do a proper job. Larger trees and evergreens are often available only in wire baskets. A wire basket is a root holding device made from steel and the containing of the soil of the rootball is aided with burlap and rope. The tree is dug from the ground (generally in spring but fall is possible) and the roots are trimmed to fit inside the space provided by the wire basket. When planting a wire basket plant it is generally best to remove the wire basket unless you h
