Why October beats April
Roots keep working through a mild Texas winter. Fall planting gives a tree time to settle in before the heat asks more of it.
Start with the site
Match the tree to your soil, sunlight, and available space. Allow for its mature canopy and keep clear of overhead lines and buried utilities.
Wide, not deep
Dig the hole about twice as wide as the root ball, and no deeper. Set the trunk flare at or slightly above the surrounding grade.
Backfill with what belongs
Use the soil you took out. Water as you backfill to settle air pockets, and avoid packing the soil hard.
Finish with mulch
Spread a shallow layer of mulch around the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk. Water the root ball thoroughly.