You've just returned from your favorite garden nursery with a beautiful tree or shrub that is balled in burlap. Now what? With these easy steps you can easily plant your new tree or shrub and watch it soon fluorish with some careful attention.

First you need to dig a hole that is twice as big as the root ball. The hole also needs to be deep enough so that the top of the root ball is 2-3 inches below the ground surface.

You will also need some compost to finish planting your new tree or shrub. Mix 1/3 compost with 2/3 dirt removed from the hole.

Fill the hole with a couple inches of water. Place 2 inches of compost mix into hole and place tree or shrub on top of the mixture (with burlap still on). Make a slice mark in the burlap bag.

Place 2/3 of remaining compost mixture around the root ball. Carefully untie twine around the trunk of the tree or shrub, carefully folding back burlap around the top of the root ball.

Fill the hole with the remaining compost mixture, just covering the top of the root ball (you want a 2-3 inch depression remaining in the ground to fill with water). Water area around tree or shrub very well.

Automatic sprinklers will not adequately water new trees and shrubs. Fill the depression around the tree or shrub with your garden hose several times a week for the first season.

Copyright 2007, CreativeHomemaking.com. This article may not be reprinted.