Spring Planting Success: Techniques for B&B and Container Plants

Planting Right the First Time

Spring planting isn’t complicated—dig a hole, set the plant, backfill—but details determine survival. Master these fundamentals for consistent success.

Handling Balled-and-Burlapped (B&B) Plants

• Cut and remove all twine, especially around the stem—nylon twine girdles and kills trees years later.
• If re-burlapped, check between layers for hidden nylon strings.
• Genuine burlap rots quickly; leave it. Synthetic burlap? Loosen around stem, slice vertically.

Planting in Clay Soil

Don’t amend the hole with organic matter—it creates a bathtub effect that drowns roots. Instead:

• Raise the bed 8+ inches with good topsoil (best option).
• Or plant 2+ inches above grade, mounding soil over the root ball.
• Backfill with native clay—it acts as a dam against excess water.

Universal Rules

• Never plant deeper than nursery depth—#1 killer of new plants.
• Stake new trees to prevent wind-rock; use duct tape (single wrap) or conduit.
• For containers: remove circling roots (slice or tease), plant at same depth.

Skip the Additives

Bone meal, peat moss, specialty fertilizers—unnecessary. Good topsoil is the only amendment that consistently delivers. I’ve landscaped hundreds of homes without them; plants thrive.

Invest in quality topsoil, plant at the right depth, and water well. That’s the secret.