Planting. Many young trees
 produced in Florida nurseries are
 grown in containers; however,
 some are field-grown and sold as
 "bare-root" or "balled and bur-
 lapped" plants. Planting bare-root
 trees (trees without soil around
 roots) has not proved satisfactory
 for most Florida gardeners during
 dry, hot seasons. Only deciduous
 trees should be bought and planted
 "bare-root" and then only when
 they are dormant. "Balled and bur-
 lapped" trees are best transplanted
 during cooler months, but con-
 tainer-grown trees can be planted
 anytime. Trees transplanted when
 dormant can withstand transplant-
 ing better since they usually will
 produce new roots and become
 established before new top growth
 starts in the spring.
 Small c o n t a i n e r-grown and
 "balled" trees usually require no
 pruning at planting time. Large
 trees require pruning to compen-
 sate for roots lost and damaged in
 digging and transplanting, espe-
 cially if moved during late spring
 or summer months. Pruning aids
 transplanting by reducing water
 required by plants. Trees moved
 "bare-root" should be pruned heav-
 ily to assure success in trans-
 planting.
 Prune trees by thinning limbs,
branches and twigs rather than
heading the top back to stubs.
Some full-length branches should
be left to shade pruning cuts and
form the top framework. Frame-
work branches will continue to
grow and spread and give the tree
a natural shape.
 Select young, thrifty trees with
good root systems to obtain best


results. However, large trees can
be transplanted successfully if
given proper post-planting care.
 Before planting container-grown
 or "balled trees," dig a hole slight-
 ly deeper and about twice the
 diameter of container or ball of
 soil. Mix planting soil as described
 previously and plant the tree so
 the soil line on the trunk will be
 at the same depth it was in the
 container or nursery row. This can
 be done by setting the container or
 balled tree in the hole and adjust-
 ing the depth so the surface of the
 soil of the container or ball is even
 with the ground level. Carefully
 remove the tree from the container
 without disturbing roots, and set
 it in the hole.
 Do not remove burlap from balled
 trees since this may result in a
 broken ball and root injury. How-
 ever, burlap should be cut, loosened
 or turned back at the top of the
 ball so the original planting depth
 may be observed. Partially fill in
 around the ball with prepared soil,
 and water thoroughly. Repeat
 this procedure until the hole is
 filled, watering after each partial
 filling.
 Before planting bare-root, decid-
uous trees, trim long or broken
roots with pruning shears. Place
tree in the hole at the depth it
grew in the nursery row and spread
roots to their natural position. Par-
tially fill the hole with prepared
soil, shake the tree to settle soil
about roots, then water thoroughly
to further settle soil. Continue
filling and watering until hole is
filled and tree is firmly in place.
 Leave a shallow basin around
each tree to facilitate watering.