If it were me I'd communicate directly with the business owner. And hopefully the tree and its installation are warrantied for a reasonable of time. Yes?

1 year warranty for the tree. I'm worried about problems down the line, many years.

Here is a link to the Kinsey Family Farm in North Georgia about their balled and burlaped trees.

https://www.kinseyfamilyfarm.com/nursery-plants/ball-burlap-tree/

Make sure the burlap is not still tied to the trunk and remove any burlap that may be visible as it will wick moisture away from the rootball.

tj

But while the trees didn’t survive, the burlap, wire basket, and webbing were all still there almost 30 years later.

Give me your huddled root masses yearning to breathe free – The Garden Professors™

It's a good policy to cut away the burlap and wire from the top third of the root ball AFTER seating it in the final position in the hole. Definitely remove the straps.

Two things I disagree with: fertilizer isn't typically recommended at planting and certainly not in the bottom of the hole. You cannot entice feeder roots to grow down in search of fertilizer. They will always develop in the top ten or so inches if soil where oxygen and moisture is most available.

Also, it is not recommended that you mix organic matter of any kind with the native soil when refilling the hole. Simply use the soil that was dug out of the hole in the first place. Tamp it in gently so as not to destroy healthy porosity. Then apply the four inches of good mulch in as wide a circumference around the root ball as possible, even further than the drip line of the tree.

Speaking of other aspects of tree planting besides baskets and burlap etc. here is another one from the same source:

Problems with Planting Trees – The Garden Professors™

Excellent info!

I doubt the wires will "disintegrate". I've found old wires, nails and steel pieces while digging in an area where plank-sawing was done (and finished) near 100 yrs ago.

i dont understand why you dealt with a very old established tree farm.. and then turn around within hours and imply they dont have a clue what they are doing ... pshaw ...

if they were hacks.. they would NOT have been in business for the last 40 years ...

there are 2 types of burlap.. and the nursery kind is supposed to disintegrate rather quickly.. i presume your seller knows what kind to use ..

agree.. you can remove any burlap you see on the surface ...

forget about the wire cage ... we arent talking chicken wire here ... there should be no impact on the roots from the cage ...

all you have to do it water is properly.. deeply and infrequently.. and most likely.. whatever they told you to do.. and you should be all set ...

i presume you are freaking out due to the investment you made in this rather huge tree ... i avoided all this by buying small.. and planting stuff myself... and i found out.. smaller transplants often establish sooner get over all the stresses.. and can usually outgrow the larger transplants.. plus.. if you lose it.. the cost is smaller ..

anyway.. just water it properly.. and you should be all set ..

any chance they offered you a water gator for it?? wonder if they would recommend one??

ken

I am laughing that someone thinks wire cages will disintegrate quickly.

I think the general advice to remove burlap, wires and/or strings before planting is correct for plants sized for an average homeowner.

This isn't that.

I'd take pictures of your tree, and go talk to the nursery expert* directly. I'd want to be sure it's planted at the correct depth for the root flare, not mulched too heavily, burlap should be completely underground, how often to water it and how to know when you've given it enough, etc.

*not everyone who works at a nursery is a plant expert; I learned that the hard way!

This one has pictures of what can happen. I got it and many other relevant hits searching the web for "trees planted in wire cages".

Planting Trees - Remove String, Burlap and Wire Basket - Garden Fundamentals