Tell us a little more about your past attempts. What size were the trees and did they die shortly after transplanting or was it due to some stress or disease or what? Need inpuuuuut!

More info is needed.

Did your past attempts include enough mulch area? Down here I rarely see dogwoods make it as a "lawn tree." In my experiance they need a rather large island of mulch. No grass near the roots.

They seem to take a lot of water their first two years to establish [in the deep south.] Forget to water them here and they're dead.

Since they are understory trees getting them to grow in full sun is very hard. If I had to try it I would get a 3-4' B&B and make sure my planting hole is very large. If the soil is mostly clay plant it high and mound good soil around it. Try the same thing with a kousa Dogwood or one of the Rutgers series of Cornus florida x Kousa. Mulch well with Pine Bark or pine needles and make sure the plant has even moisture thought the first 2 growing seasons. Over watering is very bad for them also. David

I planted several 5 gallon, White Dogwoods, that were about 5-6 feet tall. I did mulch and water regularly but maybe not enough. Should I water every day? Being a real amateur and not knowing any better, I planted in the front of my house that gets the blazing afternoon and evening sun. They looked fine the first season but did not come back out the next year. I had 2 pink ones that thrived 2-3 years but they had a tiny bit of protection from distant trees.

As long as you have average drainage I say water every other day for the first year (except the winter of course). And almost as much the next year.

Others say that's too much.

Do remember to water a little during dry winters.

Like you, I can't get them to grow either. One year I bought a nice pink one and planted it in full sun, think I mulched it. It didn't do well for a couple of years but was still alive, so I moved it to the back yard in partial shade. It died.

Last year I planted a "stick" from that Arbor Day Foundation in Nebraska on the northeast corner of the house, and it died. Do they need regular doses of Miracid?

I gave my parents one years ago from a good nursery, my father planted it where it got a lot of sun, never fussed with it at all, didn't mulch it, that was over 30 years ago, and it was still alive as of last year. Lots of people around here get them to grow, there is an enormous one in a front yard facing south (no shade at all that I can ascertain) that I photographed last year. It is different from most I have seen, can't quite put my finger on what it is, something about the type (apart from size). Go figure.

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Try B&B Plant instead of container stock. I find that they transition better for me. I know that goes against what many say but it is my experience. Lowes has some nice B&B cheap this spring. Plant about 1/2 the root ball in the dirt and then cut of the burlap. Mound good soil around the rest of the root ball and mulch.

I planted my dogwood, mulched it and I have been watering it with a small flow from the hose for about an hour. Is that good for watering and do I need to do it every day?

Don't water every day unless it is REALLY hot and/or windy. Poke down with your finger next to the root ball - if it is dry, then water; if it is moist, wait. Since you want to get water all the way to the bottom of the root ball, that may be enough, too little or too much water - it all depends on your soil. In clay, it may be too much for daily, but not enough for weekly waterings. In sand, it may be not enough in general. Taper waterings off to once a week, mostly, and water for the first year, until your soil fully freezes.

I am assuming you mulched correctly - no more than 4" thick, no mulch in the 2-4" next to the trunk, and as wide as you can, at least 3' diameter, more is better. Aged, double-ground hardwood mulch is best, IMO. Pine straw comes next and then pine bark mulch. Mulching will cool the soil, moderate moisture swings and encourage root growth, among other things. And as you have already heard before.....:-)