Drainage

• Most evergreen trees grow well in areas where the soil has good drainage. Some, such as arborvitae and black spruce, will grow in swampy areas, near ponds and at the edges of streams. Balsam fir grows in areas that are damp for part of the year and then dry for the rest. Make sure you know the water needs of your evergreen.
  
  

pH

• Evergreens like a pH on the acid side. If you try planting them in an area where a lawn was limed, the pH will be too high and the evergreen will not be able to absorb the iron in the soil, resulting in yellow needles and poor growth. If you have to adjust the soil, it might be easier to find another spot to plant the evergreen since it often takes years to change the soil's acidity.
  
  

Water Source

• When you are looking at the site and soil for planting your evergreen, check for a water source. Evergreens need water and you need to check the site for available moisture, whether it is close enough to your house to use a garden hose or near a stream. Of course, some evergreens such as some pines and junipers will tolerate dry, sandy conditions, so these will only need water during the first year, while they're getting established.
  
  

Organic Matter

• When you plant evergreens, you should try to mimic the conditions where they grow in the wild. If you compare it with the soil in your yard, most likely the natural setting will have a lot more organic matter in the soil. You can add more leaf compost or peat moss to the planting site, and pile on a few inches of mulch under the tree every year.