- 1). Dig a hole that is three times as wide as the Forest Pansy's rootball. Look at the lower portion of the trunk to find the soil ring, an indication of the depth at which the nursery grew the tree. Measure the tree from this soil ring to the bottom of the root ball and dig the hole that deep.
- 2). Firm the soil on the bottom of the hole and use a pitchfork or gardening fork to lightly scrape the inside walls. This will help the Forest Pansy's roots to penetrate the soil more easily.
- 3). Slice through two opposite sides of the rootball with a sharp knife, if the roots are tightly wound around the outside.
- 4). Place the rootball into the hole. Make sure that the crown -- the area where the trunk meets the rootball -- will sit 1/2 inch above the surface of the soil. If you need to adjust the depth of the hole, firm the soil in the bottom after removing or adding more soil.
- 5). Fill the hole with soil, stopping every 4 inches to tamp the soil over the roots with your hands.
- 6). Mold a 5-inch thick, 3-inch tall ring around the tree with leftover soil from the planted hole; add soil from another part of the garden, if necessary. Set it 1 foot from the dripline.This will be the watering well that you use while the Forest Pansy becomes established.
- 7). Place a hose at the base of the tree, set it at a slow trickle and allow the water to fill the well. Fill the ring with water during subsequent waterings. The ring will eventually dissolve back into the soil. You do not need to rebuild it.
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