Many people seem to think you can simply plant a tree, water it once, and just walk away. Although this technique works well for things like papayas or persimmons, other trees require a little more care.

The first and most important thing for almost all fruit trees is drainage. Roots, although they are underground and drink water for the tree, do need to breathe air as well. Some trees, such as an avocado, will die if it stands in too much water or is planted in a low spot. Yes, it is true these trees like to drink lots of water to produce great fruit, but they don't know how to swim. There are a few exceptions such as guava and jaboticabas that will take standing water for quite some time, but as a general rule, water must drain and allow the air to return to the soil.

The same applies for potted plants. Do not go out and buy the cheapest potting mix you can find as you will lose your plant because most of the less expensive mixes are way too rich or heavy for good drainage and as the new roots grow into this muck, they die and rot back. Enough of that, and your plant dies. Don't be afraid to mix some soil or amend the bag you bought. You can purchase perlite by itself and mix plenty into your medium. Perlite holds only a certain amount of water and releases the rest. It provides good drainage and aeration.

When you plant your tree, it is usually a good idea to place your new tree right on top of the sand in the hole that you make. Make sure the level in the pot and final level of the tree in the ground is the same. Measure the hole depth before taking the plant out of the container. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT tear apart the roots as most fruit trees cannot withstand the shock. Some, such as lychees, have such brittle roots as to be like icicles. Be very gentle taking the plant out of the pot or just cut the pot off. Place the tree on sand in the hole and amend around it out to about 20 percent of the pot size with a 50/50 mix of good soil with the sand that comes out of the hole. This will allow a buffer zone for the roots as they head out of the good, rich soil on their way to the sand.

Water the tree in well, and for now you can even make a berm around the drip line of the tree to assist you in watering over the next 4 to 6 weeks. Remove the berm after that or in a heavy rain. As a general rule, one inch of water penetrates 12 inches into the soil, so judge accordingly. Water your tree every 2 to 3 days for the first 6 weeks. By then the roots should be well set. After that, your watering depends on your particular tree or location as well as what mother nature provides. Remember, it's hot out there with lots of dry wind. Just think how you would like to sit outside for a week with no water. Spend time with your new plants and give them the care they need to get established, and you will have fine, healthy trees with great fruit for years to come.