1. Planting: Plant or repot within 4 weeks of arrival. Remove the stake and ties at planting, as these are only for shipping. Choose a sunny to partly shaded location with moist, well-drained soil. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and about twice as wide, keeping the root flare level with or slightly above the surrounding ground. Apply mulch without piling it against the trunk.

2. Watering: Water deeply after planting and regularly during the first growing season. Keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. Once established, water during extended dry or hot periods, especially if the needles begin to lose their fresh color.

3. Pruning: Little pruning is needed because the tree naturally develops a tidy, pyramidal shape. Remove dead, damaged, or crossing branches in late winter or early spring. Avoid cutting back into old, bare wood, which may not produce new growth.

4. Fertilizing: Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer formulated for evergreen trees in early spring if growth is weak or the soil is low in nutrients. Avoid overfertilizing, as excessive growth may reduce the plant’s compact form and golden color.