1. Planting:  When selecting a spot for your Mountain Moon, find a location that offers full to partial sun and has well-draining and slightly acidic soil.

Dig your hole three times the width of the size of the root ball and slightly deeper. Loosen the soil, in and around the hole so the roots can easily break through. Use your fingers to separate the roots of your Mountain Moon Dogwood and gently position downward in the hole. Hold the tree straight as you begin to backfill the site. Apply water to settle the soil and remove any air pockets that may have formed.

Protect the roots in the cold of winter by applying a thick layer of pine needles, bark, or wood mulch. To avoid fungus and rot, keep the mulch about 2 inches from the trunk. Mulching will also help with keeping the soil moist as well as deter weeds and grasses from growing.

2. Watering: Water newly planted Mountain Moon once or twice a week during the summer and fall. Watering during the winter is rarely necessary. When you water, give it a good, deep soaking to ensure it penetrates down to the deepest roots.

3. Fertilizing:  Little or no fertilizer is needed during the first growing season. Too much fertilizer when the tree is young can stunt root growth and possibly injure the tree. You can fertilize established trees twice a year, in February and again in mid-June.

4. Pruning:  Dogwoods don’t need much pruning, just enough to remove dead and injured branches.