Well, I hope I didn't make a mistake. I found a $3 'mystery lilac' on ebay, and bought it. They weren't positive it was white, because it lost it's tag, but I was willing to take it whatever color it ends up.

It was shipped on Monday, I assume by priority mail, but still isn't here - hopefully will be here tomorrow...but still, with this heat, I'll be lucky if it survives.

I think it's coming bare root, wrapped in peat moss. Any thing I should do other than give it a good soak when I get it before planting? I was thinking I should probably let it sit in a pail of water for a few hours. Then shade it after planting. I just hope at this point it's still alive - and I can keep it that way! Thanks!

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Letting it soak for a bit sounds like a good idea. Mix a bit of bone meal or potash into the soil and keep it well watered. Don't fertilize it for at least a month with any N based fertilizer. As doing that will burn off the new roots.

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Mike Maier
aka
The Plant Doc