Follow these guidelines for transferring a plant from a plastic pot to ground soil: water your plant the day before planting so that the moist soil clings together, protecting the roots during the transplant. select a planting location that matches the sun/shade requirements of the plant. water the soil to make digging easier. on planting day, dig the hole twice the width of the pot and of equal depth. to give the roots ample room to spread. remove the plant from the pot, first pressing the sides of the pot gently to free the soil and roots. grasp the plant gently at its base and pull to remove it from the pot. if this step proves difficult, turn the pot upside down to free the roots and soil. place the plant in the center of the hole. sprinkle the proper amount of plant food around the base, and refill the hole using the soil you just removed. gently tamp the soil down, making sure the root base is covered and that the plant has enough support to stand on its own. water the plant thoroughly. the paragraph orders the steps for planting chronologically. list them below. day before: step 1: step 2: day of: step 3: step 4: step 5: step 6: step 7: step 8: