If you cannot plant your trees within a few days, it is recommended that you “heel in” your trees. Use this procedure if you are planning to store the trees longer than 5 days.
What To Do When You Receive Your Trees
INSPECT your trees in the package. Extensive damage should be reported to our Member Services Department at: 1-888-448-7337 or email our member services.
We recommend that you plant your membership trees in a protected area with worked-up soil, such as a garden, for a year or two. Provide a good planting bed, and if necessary, roto-till the soil or turn it over with a spade. This will give those young trees the best chance at a good start. It will reduce competition from weeds and grass, wildlife damage, and the likelihood of being damaged by a lawnmower.
-
Your trees arrived in a plastic recyclable package. Remove your trees from the outer bag. The trees are twist-tied together with the roots in a plastic bag of hydrating gel.
-
Fill a bucket partly full of water. Untwist the root bag tie and remove your trees from the hydrating gel bag.
-
Remove the tie on the trees and carefully separate the roots of your individual trees.
-
IMMEDIATELY place your trees in the bucket, submerging the roots. It is very IMPORTANT to keep the roots moist. Soak your trees up to 3 - 6 hours.
-
Move your trees to the protected planting site, keeping the roots wet.
-
Dig an angled trench in the ground, preferably in the shade, that will accommodate your trees.
-
Lay the roots of your trees in the angled trench.
-
Fill in the trench covering the tree roots with the dug out soil. Water generously and keep moist until you are ready to plant.
When you are ready to plant, dig up your trees and follow the step-by-step instructions in our planting guide.
