Planting

Proper planting and some common sense is paramount to the survival of new plants. 

Preparation  

1. Dig a hole nearly twice the size of the plant's root structure. NB. For smaller plants such as perennials or bedding plants, use a trowel to create a small trench in which to place individual seedlings.  
   
   
2. Mix together some compost, peat moss with a bit of the removed soil.  
   
   
3. For large trees, generally don't correct the soil balance too much. This is because the roots of the tree will try fairly quickly to spread past the corrected area and, if the composition of this soil is significantly different from that of the surrounding area, the roots can have trouble getting past the barrier. For example in heavy clay soil the tree will eventually have difficulty once it reaches the clay after it has spread past the peat moss.
   
   Planting
   
   
4. Place some soil at the bottom of your hole making a mound. You want the plant to be propped up slightly higher than the soil level as the plant will sink and compress after a few days of watering.  
   
   
5. Unpot the plant by holding the top in place with one hand, turning it over and tapping the bottom of the tub to detach roots that may be stuck. If the roots had reached the wall of the tub they need to carefully loosened and nestled into the soil mound. Hint: As you fill the gap around the newly inserted plant, leave a moat around the edge of your hole. Fill the moat with water and after it has drained, fill it again several times. This helps the soil to settle, filling air pockets, and also dampens the roots.