4. How to plant an oak tree: Dig the hole at least twice as wide as the root ball. Find the root flare on the trunk, and make sure it is above ground. You may have to remove some soil from around the trunk to locate the flare. Your oak should not look like a utility pole going into the ground. Remove anything that is not tree and roots, such as wires, strings and pots. Backfill the hole with the same soil you removed when digging the hole, and water in well. There you go. You have an oak tree and a three-year commitment to keeping it watered during dry times.
