Fall is an excellent time to plant trees.
Here are the steps on how to plant them:
Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball
Dig depth slightly deeper than the root ball to aerate beneath the tree or shrub
Evergreen trees and shrubs should be slightly raised from the surrounding ground--so the depth is not as deep as the root ball
Keep root ball intact--if needed, keep metal cage but not burlap on side and top
Place the tree or shrub in the hole and position it as preferred
Fill hole with water and time how long it takes to drain
Length of time required to drain indicates how often you should water the spot (see blog on newly planted tree care)
If the soil is clay, add a cup of gypsum to the hole around the root ball
Fill hole partial full with soil; improved soil and organic material is recommended to help keep nutrients near roots
Fill with water
Fill in the rest of the hole with soil
Build a rim of dirt around tree to remain for 2 months
Do not let the soil come up around the trunk of the tree--this can eventually kill the tree
Water tree again