To plant with burlap or not

Should I plant my 8' Satomi Dogwood with the burlap as per the nursery's instructions on the tag? I've had success in the past planting small specimen trees by removing the burlap and freeing the roots from the clay. However, the Dogwood's rootball is substantial, approx 2'X2'. Any advice appreciated.

Tara

 

Continue as you have been doing. Search "Chalker-Scott" for web site with more information.

 

I found this note re: dogwoods on the Penn State University site.

"If the roots of the dogwood are balled and burlapped, you need not remove the burlap before setting the tree in the hole. After the tree is set, you can cut the twine around the top of the rootball and fold back or cut off exposed parts of the burlap."

http://www.cas.psu.edu/docs/coext/disaster/dogwood.html

 

Even .edu sites are not up to date with modern methods.

 

Ron, thank you for the tip on Linda Chalker-Scott's article on the web. It's seems a common sense approach whether planting a small pansy or a large tree, since if roots cannot reach nourishment, the plant fails to thrive.

Tara