Evergreens can be planted early in the spring until four weeks after deciduous trees have opened their leaves or in the fall, from about the first week of August to the end of October. Planting Steps 1. Protect your tree well during transport to avoid bruising the bark and breaking twigs, branches, and buds. Pad the tree trunk and branches with burlap and tie all loose ends with soft rope or twine. Keep the root ball moist and cover exposed bare roots with wet burlap or moss.
Cover tree crowns with wet burlap to prevent drying of the tops, especially evergreen.
Keep the tree in a shady location until it is time to plant. These plants compete with the tree for water and nutrients. Roughen the sides and bottom of the hole to allow root penetration. If good quality soil is not available, break up the turf taken from the top and put it in the hole around the root ball, where it will break down into good rooting soil. Peat or loam, if added, would improve this mixture.