Preparing the Soil for Planting

• 1). When planting a tree, dig a hole twice as wide and twice as deep as the root mass.
  
  
• 2). Sift the removed soil to rid it of weeds, roots and rocks.
  
  
• 3). Mix equal parts of the sifted soil, mulch and organic compost to refill the hole when planting.
  
  
• 4). If the soil is heavy with clay, add small-particle gravel and some sand to encourage drainage.
  
  
• 5). Moisture-loving trees are aided by the addition of peat moss to the planting mixture. Avoid enriching the soil too much. In overly enriched soil, the tree roots will not grow away from the trunk. The result could be an unstable tree as it matures.