When to Plant
One of the great things about Arizona is you can plant all year long. However, the best time to plant is in late fall, with the exception of trees and shrubs that are sensitive to frost. Late fall is ideal because warmer soil temperatures and cooler air temperatures encourage roots to establish themselves quickly. If you can’t get to planting in late fall the next best time is late spring.
Preparing the Hole
Dig a hole a minimum of two times (we recommend 3 to 5 times) the diameter of the root ball and no deeper than its height. The sides of the hole should be rough and sloping. It is important to check drainage before planting. Fill the hole with water. Water should drain within 12-24 hours. To help neutralize alkaline soils and increase water penetration, add gypsum to the hole and mix it in with the soil and water.
Preparing the Soil
Native plants do best in their native soil. The addition of compost or mulch is not necessary however you may want to put a little in the hole prior to planting. To help with the water holding capacity of rocky or sandy soil you can incorporate some fine-textured native soil into the hole.
How to Plant
Remove the plant from its container. Take great care in not breaking the root ball because this can kill the plant. Slice the root ball lengthwise about an inch deep in two or three places. Put the plant in the hole that has been prepared and fill it back up with soil. The top of the root ball should be level with the soil surface or slightly above. DO NOT compact the soil. Watering the plant and surrounding area will help settle the soil surface.
After Planting
Irrigate the planting area immediately. Make sure that the root ball remains level with the soil surface after irrigating. Add a mulch layer on top to help keep soil moisture but keep it a few inches away from the base of the plant. A fertilizer is not needed on a new planting. Water every day for the first week then revert back to a normal watering schedule.
If planting a tree, remove the stake that came from the nursery. If the tree can support itself then do not re-stake. However, if the tree needs additional support re-stake the tree. Do not prune the tree at this time.
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