PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS
- For larger B&B evergreens, dig the hole to the size specified by the sales staff. Make sure that the bottom is flat and of equal depth. Leave all the back fill near the hole. For smaller B&B or potted evergreens, dig the hole 1½ – 2 times wider and roughly the same depth as the root ball or soil level in the container.
- If the evergreen is larger and delivered, it will be set in the hole if it is properly prepared. If the hole is not ready or it is incorrectly prepared, the plant will be left next to the hole. If the plant is picked up or needs to be set in the hole, tip plant on its side, allowing one person to hold and spin the trunk as needed and a second person to role the ball in to the hole. Do NOT drop the ball from a truck / trailer. Do NOT drop the ball into the hole. If planting small potted evergreens, remove the pot from the plant. If the plant / soil does not readily pull out of the pot, cut the container away from the soil / root mass. Using a knife, cut around the entire base and up one side of the pot. Set the pot in the hole and then peel away from the root mass.
- Use the soil that came from the hole to straighten and stabilize the root ball, back filling it half way.
- If using a fertilizer, spread evenly around root ball at the half way point, and then back fill the rest of the hole. Otherwise, back fill the rest of the hole, slightly packing the soil along the way.
- The base of the evergreen (where the twine is tied around the trunk) should be one to two inches above the established grade. Mound the soil up to this point and slope away from the evergreen for proper drainage. Do not pile all the extra soil over the ball; some will need to be hauled away.
*** Do not remove any of the twine or burlap that is on the tree. This is holding the root ball together. Doing so may void the warranty. ***
*** Wendland Nursery is NOT responsible for trees that lean or tip due to settling or windy conditions. ***
CARE INSTRUCTIONS
- Water evergreens once every 5 to 7 days if 1” or more of rain does not fall for the time period. Leave a hose lay at the base of the tree at a slow trickle for approximately 20 minutes. If using a soaker hose or sprinkler, watering time may need to be increased up to 45 minutes depending upon the device. Soaker hoses work best for rows of Arborvitae. It is important to continue weekly watering’s into late fall (until Thanksgiving) as the evergreens store water for winter.
- It is best to install a mulch layer around planting beds and/or individual evergreens (install approximately 3” thick). This helps to retain moisture, eliminate competition from turf, reduce rapid fluctuations in moisture and temperature, and reduce the chance of damage from lawn mowers and weed-wackers! Do NOT create mulch “volcanos”… Mulch should not form a bowl around base of plant.
- All evergreens can be easily fertilized with Miracid or Milorganite fertilizer.
- Caring for your plant material does NOT stop after 6 months or a year… All plant material needs about a 1” of water a week whether it’s newly installed or a well-established plant.