I would definitely wait a few months (mid fall is probably best). Planting them now could cause them to be highly stressed, and you could easily loose many or most of them (especially bare-root or balled plants).

If you feel like you have to plant something now, use only potted trees and shrubs. Make sure they aren't pot bound so you don't have to loosen the roots or work the rootball. Carefully picked potted trees and shrubs, watered well for the rest of the season, should be OK.

Semi-pot bound or pot bound trees and shrubs (probably what you'll find a lot out there) need to have their roots prepared so they won't girdle the plant later on. These also need to be planted in mid fall or early spring to reduce stress on the plant.

Thanks.

I have heard it suggested that trees are best planted when relatively dormant and during the dormant season.

I found a good site to explain the proper planting time and technique to plant a tree or shrub. There are a lot of misinformed sites out there, but this one is up to date and right on target. It's commonly recommended by professional arborists.

Here is a link that might be useful: Trees Are Good Website

Thanks. It looks like I'll probably be waiting until the cool season.

Frankly, every tree that I have ever bought has been root bound in the bucket. I generally sort of crumble the root ball up a bit... maybe snip an obviously knotted part...and do a good job of getting it in the ground.

I live in Knoxville, is there a good place to get well-cared-for trees?

Kelton

I don't know. If you wanted smaller trees and shrubs, Beaver Creek Nursery is excellent. They specialize in slightly unusual stuff so may not have something common, and most of their trees and shrubs are in 1 gallon pots. The stuff I've gotten from them was always in very good shape and healthy.

Even expensive nurseries often sell pot bound stuff. I did a job for someone not long ago that wanted their trees from Thress Nursery. The trees were healthy, well branched, and looked good, but when I removed them from the containers, I found they were much more pot bound than I would have expected for the price. I haven't bought enough medium or larger size trees from other nurseries to be familiar enough with them to recommend or not recommend them.

Here is a link that might be useful: Beaver Creek Nursery Website

Thanks,

For the moment, I think I'm going to plan a row of crepe myrtles with smallish evergreen tree inbetween each one...like maybe a Holly that gets ~15' max.

I need something that won't produce powerful roots that might push my retaining wall.

I will check Beaver Creek.

Speaking of Beaver Creek -- I just went there for the first time this past week. Interesting place! I think I have to go back and buy a Stachyurus praecox, at the very least. :-)