[Objective] The feasibility of plantation establishment with extra-deep planting in a sandy soil was studied in order to provide support on increase of the survival rate of seedlings in arid and semi-arid sandy soil. [Methods] The experiments were conducted in the lower reaches of Yongding River characterized by large areas of sandy soils. The seedlings were 2-year old Ulmus pumila L., some of which were cultivated with long roots(long-root seedlings). Others were raised with normal roots. The depths of planting were 1 m(extra-deep), 0.6 m(deep) and 0.3 m(usual). Soil water contents of different layers were measured monthly. [Results] (1) Water content in deeper soil layers was higher and remained constant compared with that in shallower layers; (2) Extra-deep planting significantly increased the survival rate of seedlings by more than 40%. With extra-deep planting, the long-root seedlings showed reasonable survival rate and growth after transplanting(the survival rate was 94%), even without watering; (3) Extra-deep planting significantly increased seedling height, but significant increases in diameter at breast height were observed only for long-root seedlings. Extra-deep planting, especially with long-root seedlings, significantly increased seedling survival and growth. [Conclusion] Extra-deep planting is suitable for plantation establishment in the sandy soils in arid and semi-arid areas, and should be applied.