Need advice: River Birch newly planted

[CRM]

Eastern North Carolina
80 degrees now
The nursery delivered three 25 gallon pots on a Friday.
Due to circumstances they weren't put in the ground until 6 days later. In the time of waiting to be planted there was a couple heavy storms and I watered once (bad me).
Heavy watered night before planting. Stuck end of hose into hard hard top of soil in pot and tried to water. Filled their pre dug hole with water so they could suck up some thru the tiny holes.
The next night we planted.
The soil is sandy.
A hole was dug so it had a pots width all the way around. It was only as deep as the top of the soil in the pot.
I added to the hole:
5 gallon bucket of peat
2/3 bag compost
Scored the hard compacted root ball with razor knife but I didn't break open the root ball.
Should I have?
Placed in hole
Put in half original soil
Watered down to get soil to settle and get rid of air pockets.
Filled in with the rest, not going over top of pot/flare.
Stepped around to tamp down, watered again for air bubbles.
Added mulch, not around trunk.
That was last night. Leaves were a little yellow and some dry. Today... Yellow and dropping. Stress from me failing to water enough initially then shocking with tons?
Do you think they'll survive?
The one tree looks super dry and brown. Can I cut that branch ?

 

[oneeye]

Give them a couple of weeks and post another photo. Looks like you got all your help with helping you, and everybody looks happy with the job. I hope you have the best of luck with your new plantings. It all looks good to me and I think those trees will be happy. Keep us posted.

 

[oneeye]

I hope you have an alkaline pH before adding that peat moss! Because if you have a acidic pH, the pH will drop into too low range and possibly hurt the trees. . Keep your fingers crossed.

 

[DrCase]

It looks like the River Birch we have around here. They drop leaves leaves every day once it gets hot

 

[CRM]

It looks like the River Birch we have around here. They drop leaves leaves every day once it gets hot

I was worried as they were green the day before I planted then I wake up and are yellow.
My other RB are full and green with a few leaves yellowing.
I couldn't remember them acting this way.

 

[DrCase]

When I had one I dug it up at the creek it was big and didn’t have the root wad you have .
It grew fine until I cut it down
my neighbor and I planted 2 in his yard at the same time they are both 60+ ft tall now

 

[Chuck]

You should not add ANYTHING to the soil. You should backfill only with the soil you removed. This is to prevent encircling roots. Just because you planted the trees at the same depth as the pots doesn't mean that they are not planted too deep. Most growers don't take the time to make sure that their trees are planted at the correct depth. Make sure you can actually see the root flare. I imagine that the trees have a little transplant shock and will recover but if they don't recover in 4 or 5 days time get some SuperThrive and apply it.