When receiving the plant, give it a week to acclimate to the location before planting outdoors. To transplant into a garden bed, water the plant the night before. When planting, ensure the soil is well-draining. Add soil amendments like compost to lighten it. Check the soil pH and ensure it is slightly alkaline to acidic (5.6-7.5 pH). Dig the hole twice as wide as the grower pot and at the same depth (not deeper). Remove the plant from the grower pot and center it in the hole. Add rooting hormone around the base of the roots. Water in the hole before covering with soil and let drain. Then add organic compost mixed with the native soil and fill around the plant and up to the top of its soil line. Tamp down around the roots to remove any air pockets. Water again around the drip line, then mulch up to the plant's drip line to help retain moisture. Keep her soil moist as she gets established.
If repotting the following spring, use a 2" wider pot. Use a well-draining indoor potting mix with perlite to help with drainage. Place a piece of screening at the bottom of the container over the drainage hole to secure the soil and allow it to drain. Water the plant in the old pot and let it sit an hour before transferring.
Add soil to the bottom to elevate the root ball. Lift the plant and release the roots against the existing planter. Use a clean knife or garden trowel to wedge between the pot and the soil to loosen.
Inspect the root ball. Notice if there are any dead or rotting roots and trim them off with sterile pruners. If the plant is rootbound, cut through the roots to alleviate continued encircling.
Ensure the plant is sitting about 1" below the edge of the pot to avoid water spillage. Add more soil and backfill around the sides by tamping down. Fill up to the soil line but not over.
Water thoroughly, leaving the soil damp but not soggy. If settling occurs, add more soil.
You may observe some leaf changes as it acclimates to its new environment. It may suffer some transplant shock depending on how tight the roots were intertwined together. Trim off any declining leaves as it regains their energy and gets rooted into the soil over time.