I would plant them with the roots in the soil and the green bit above, works every time for me !!!!!!!

Cathl. this sounds remarkably like an exam or test question to me. If it is we would do you no service by answering - which would require a paper on the topic. Different plants need different things Badfish's answer is the only short one I can think of.

Sorry but couldn't resist. Maybe a little more info would help Cath....what plants are we talking about, what soil do you have, what aspect will they be in etc etc.

There seems so many of these posts which give no details and then, after people have taken the time to reply, the original poster never gets back to us.

I thought it was an exam question too. Should have been given the answer in lectures if so.

Yup Stera...

... And you will get top marks if you mention water, sunlight, heat and nutrients ;o)

well now I feel really embarrassed! its just that , I have success when container gardening, but 9 times out of 10, whatever I plant in the ground just fails .......
sorry I didn't give more info, and that it sounded like a test question.

Oh dear, sorry about that - but we do get questions from people trying to take a short cut to answering assignments. Next time you want to plant something why not ask on here first and we will try to help.

No one told you about GOOD LUCK

Aha - we will need to know what part of the USA you live in - zone etc., and what kind of soil you have. Does your garden (or yard as you say) have any shade, too much or too little sun and what are you trying to plant? Just give us the info and I am sure you will get lots of answers, and welcome to the site.

You might also want to send a PM to Tugbrethil as he lives in the States and seems to have a lot of info.

The basics are these - the area in which you're planting should have been dug over (as much as possible if other planting is also present) and some organic material added (home made garden compost, composted materials from garden centres), the area left to settle a week or so. Soak or water well the plant you're putting out, then go out and dig a hole which is wide and deep enough for the plant to sit in at the same level it is in the pot, that is, the soil, when replaced, should not be higher up the main stem than it was in the pot, nor should the rootball be visible above the ground when you've finished. Backfill with the soil you've dug out round the plant once it's positioned, level the soil and tread down round the plant with your foot, not too hard but enough to press the soil down so its settled. Then a good watering is in order.

Extra info is dependent on what, precisely, you're planting and what time of year (planting in spring should have feed put in the planting hole, planting in autumn not, for instance).