Plants ordered by mail often arrive with no soil around their roots.
Unpack bare root perennials at once and plunge their roots into a bucket of water. Soak for one to four hours. In the middle of the hole, shape the soil into a cone. Perch the plant on top of the mound, spreading its roots outward and downward. The crown of the plant, where the roots and stems meet, should be level with the top of the hole.