PLANTING GUIDE

BEFORE PLANTING

Check to see if your space gets:

Full Sun ( 6-8 Hours )

Part Sun ( 4-6 Hours )

Shade ( 2 or Less Hours )

​Knowing how much sun your space gets is critical in selecting the right plant for your space. Too much or too little sun can cause a myriad of problems and effect the health and look of your plant

Check the drainage of your soil. Does your area flood when it rains? If so, how long does it take for the soil to drain? Most plants should be planted in  soil that drains well. Planting in an area with standing water or consistently soggy soil will cause root rot, and can cause the plant to die.

Plant at the right time of year. In our climate the best time to plant is Spring and Fall. Both seasons offer cooler temperatures, rain, and more time for the roots to establish before the heat comes in, which will help your plant handle the stress of being transplanted much better. Most deciduous plants can also be planted in the winter as long as the soil isn’t frozen.

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PLANTING

The first thing is to consider plant spacing/layout. Allow space for your plants to grow into. Overcrowding your plants can stunt their growth and cause disease, fungal, or pest issues. Make sure to find out the plant's mature size while deciding on your layout.

Next, dig your hole. You want to dig the hole twice as wide but just as deep as the container or root ball of the plant. Burying your plant too deep can cause trunk or stem rot, but too shallow and the plant won’t get the moisture it needs.

Pull the plant out of the container and check if the plant is rootbound (the roots are circling around themselves). If so, make sure to loosen/pull apart the roots all around the rootball with your fingers or use a knife or pruning shears.

Place the plant in the hole and backfill with a mix of the native soil and a soil conditioner (compost, manure, claybreaker). Most plants will need a ratio of 70% native soil to 30% soil conditioner, but some plants don’t like clay soil. In this case you will want to increase the amount of soil conditioner you use. We also recommend mixing a root starting fertilizer that has mycorrhizae in with your backfill material. This will feed the roots and help the plant establish itself quicker.

Lastly, you can mulch around your newly transplanted plants to help the soil catch moisture and retain it. Mulching also helps stabilize the soil temperature in the summer and winter months.
 

WATERING

Many plants require about 1” of water a week. Some plants want more, and some maybe less. Make sure to look up your plant’s specific care needs when watering. However, all new plantings will need consistent waterings for the first few weeks.

For containerized plants, water thoroughly every 2-3 days for 2-3 weeks.

For field grown (B&B) material, water 1-2 times a week for the first 2-3 weeks.

After those first few weeks, if we don’t receive 1” of rain, you will need to supply them with supplemental water. Making sure your plant receives the proper amount of water is crucial during their first year after being planted.

A common misconception is that drought tolerant plants don’t need supplemental water. Most drought tolerant plants will do fine on their own once they have established themselves, but almost all plants aren’t established until they have been in the ground for 1-2 years.