Hi folks. I volunteer and run a small team of volunteers that plant and maintain trees and shrubs in 2 new local parks in my small community. We're outside Decatur Illinois, I think about the line between zone 5 and 6. These are new small parks that does not have any large existing tree cover. Most of us are retirees, but a good group of hard workers that really care about selecting appropriate species and caring for them.

We try to stay native, but have a few exceptions. We've had good luck with Oaks, hickories, red maples, coffee trees, etc. A local nursery offered a handsome discount on a few Green Mountain Sugar Maples. We have limited funds, so I try to make informed decisions where we spend it. Our typical system is late fall plantings every year, then monitor water for a full year. After that they are usually on their own unless we were to start an unusual drought.

This would be our first Sugar Maples if we buy them, and some literature I read mentions they are slower to establish and can be finicky regarding moisture the first few years. I also read in an open site they can be subject to scorching and tattered leaves. Our soil always tests around 6.8-7.2 when the local ag office tests. The parks have gentle flowing hills, so they could be sited on a rise to help with drainage. Any first hand knowledge any of you experts have on planting Sugar Maples would be greatly appreciated.

Once again, these are the Green Mountain cultivar, container grown, and about 1.5" caliper, maybe 6'-8' tall. Thanks in advance:)