If the plant is set at the proper depth that is what we'd call a professional install. Kudos to whoever did it correctly.

JMs are a bit sensitive to root disturbance so hopefully they didn't remove too many fiboruous roots on the sides

A pic would help.

This procedure is called (among other things) 'mudding in'.

It accomplishes a few things that traditional planting doesn't always do properly:

1. Ensures complete soil-to-root contact (no air pockets and the "mud" fills in among the fibrous roots better

2. Ensures proper watering (obviously)

3. Elminates, or at least reduces, soil interface issues (where the soil type in your yard is different than the rootball it was grown in)

I worry that the mud would compact too much, but I guess it's no different than what happens after a hard rain, and as long as it's allowed to settle/soak in naturally (and not stomped on while muddy) it works out fine, from what I've read.

Awesome. Well, thanks everyone. That's a relief to hear. I've never heard of/seen that type of installation and with it being so easy to move back and forth, I had to check. Even with the stakes, I'm a little nervous of a wind storm (which we get plenty of), but at least now I know it was quality work.

Thanks again.