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Nothing could be simpler, you say to yourself, as you contemplate planting the handsome five-to-six-foot-tall balled-and-burlapped dogwood. Just dig a nice deep hole, pop in the tree and fill up the hole. It is true that some tough species may survive such rude handling, but the flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) -- or its cousin the Asiatic dogwood (Cornus kousa) -- is not one of them. Follow these tips to getting the most out of your dogwood.
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For proper planting you will need two wooden stakes roughly two-thirds the height of the tree and as thick as its trunk, two lengths of strong wire a couple of feet long, and two short lengths of old garden hose (or special tree straps). Plus some peat moss or leaf mold and, of course, a spade.
Dig a Proper Hole. Contrary to popular belief, the hole for a tree or shrub should not be deeper than the height of the root ball; unless your soil is sandy the hole should actually be two or three inches shallower so that the tree will sit high (or "proud") and be in no danger of sinking below grade, which would probably kill it.
In addition, the soil at bottom center should be as compact as the soil within the root ball, lest the tree sink into it after planting. In sandy soils, however, plant at grade level or slightly lower to keep the overly fast drainage from drying out the roots. In any case, make the hole's diameter one foot greater than that of the root ball.
Move the Tree Carefully. In transporting the tree to the new hole, be sure to lift it by its burlapped root ball -- never by its trunk, as that would almost certainly damage it severely by breaking roots near the center. If it is heavy, fashion a sling out of an old tarpaulin and have a friend help you carry it; use a hand cart; or slide it onto a wide board, place some pipe lengths or similar rollers underneath, and roll it to its new site. 
Position and Backfill. Setting the tree into the hole, make sure it is high enough (check by laying a stick or some tool across the hole) and oriented pleasingly. View it from two directions to see that its trunk is vertical, and use small stones to chock it in its proper position. Amend the soil you have taken from the hole by mixing the peat moss or leaf mold into it at the rate of one part organic matter to two parts soil (you may want to add a helping of fertilizer high in phosphorus, but this is not mandatory), and start filling around the root ball. Tamp the soil down as you go, using the shovel handle or your fist.
When the hole is about two-thirds filled, cut away the burlap from around the top of the root ball and tuck it down into the new soil (it will eventually decay). Add some more soil, water copiously and, after the water has receded, fill in any depressions that have been created and complete filling the trench, tamping down with your foot.
Using the rest of your leftover soil, construct a dike or saucer around the dogwood to catch water and add a generous puddle. After the water has subsided, fill the saucer with a good organic mulch such as fir bark. For the next several weeks make sure the tree does not dry out -- if less than an inch of rain falls in a week, add a bucketful of water.
Stake It. Until the roots reach out into the surrounding soil you should provide temporary support for your dogwood by driving the two stakes into the ground on opposite sides of the tree about as far out as the dike -- they should go in deep enough to reach the firm soil at the bottom of the onetime hole -- and connecting them to the tree trunk using the wire lengths.
Protect the trunk by covering the wire with your hose lengths or tree straps. After about a year, remove the stakes. By that time, the dogwood should be well enough established to need no further attention. Early autumn and early spring are the best times to plant a dogwood because the young tree will adjust most easily.
