Richard's Garden Center recommends contacting Blue Stake
(602-263-1100 or 1-800-STAKE IT) when anything is being planted in your yard. In any and all cases Richard's Garden Center is not responsible for damage to any pipe, wire, utility, or any other object previously buried where Richard's Garden Center digs.

General Planting Instructions:

1. Dig hole at least one and a half times the size of container.
2. Mix soil conditioner or mulch half and half with soil dug from hole.
3. Put enough half and half soil mix in bottom of hole so plant is same depth in the ground as it was in the container.
   (Above 95°: fill hole with cool water before placing root ball in hole.)
4. Remove plant from container (without disturbing the root ball!) gently placing it in the hole.
5. Immediately back fill half and half soil mix around the root ball and tamp soil with shovel.
6. Make a tree well with the remaining half and half soil mixture.
7. Immediately water deep and thoroughly after planting using Vitamin B-1. Check and keep moist for about a week gradually lengthening the time between watering, then infrequent (approx. weekly) but heavy deep soak watering (fill tree well 3 or more times with water to saturate root ball) (Click Watering Guides on left of page to see detailed watering instructions.)
8. Once plant is established, use Richard's Time Release plant food and Organic Worm for best results keeping your plants healthy and beautiful.

Bare Root Planting:

1. As a general rule, (excluding all Cactus & Ocotillos) bare root plants should be cut back approx. 1/3 so they're in proportion to the root system. All broken roots should be cut off.
2. Plants can be soaked in a water & Vitamin B-1 solution for 24 hours before planting.
3. Dig hole twice the size of the root system. Mix soil conditioner or  mulch (half & half) with soil dug from hole for back fill.
4. Spread roots over mound of earth in the hole. Back fill, and tamp soil.
5. Always leave graft union (if your plant is grafted) above the soil level.
6. Make a well around the plant and water generously, using Vitamin B-1.
7. Plants should be kept moist until they establish a root system and leaf out, however, this doesn't mean it's necessary to water daily.
8. Once plant is established, use Richard's Time Release plant food and Organic Worm for best results keeping your plants healthy and beautiful.