Choose the right plants for your cultural and physical conditions. Make sure the plants you choose will thrive in the allotted amount of sunlight and moisture. Choose plants that will mature near the height and width you want to help avoid unnecessary pruning down the road.
Protect your plants during transporting, Trees and shrubs flapping in the breeze in the back of a truck are going to dry out quickly and may cause defoliation and undue stress,
Invest in your soil. Our heavy clay can inhibit root growth and doesn’t allow moisture to sink far into the soil. Altering the texture of your soil will allow water to saturate deeper which will encourage larger root systems . When backfilling a hole around a shrub or tree use two third the native soil and the last third be a quality compost of soil amendment such as Mr. Natural’s Complete Landscape Mix
Loosening the roots from the root ball will encourage the roots to grow outward. Using your fingers gently pull the roots from the sides and bottom so they do not continue to grow in a circle.
Plant the top of the root ball flush with the top of the soil. You never want to pile soil over the existing root ball as this can suffocate the trunk and kill a plant rather quickly.
When planting perennials or shrubs it is often visually more appealing to plant in odd numbers like 3, 5, 7. …
Allow room for your plants to grow. Things may look at bit sparse when you do this, but you will avoid having removing or rearrange plants down the road.
Pay attention to your spacing. When planting in a single row or staggered rows, stand back and make sure the plants are evenly spaced. Also while you are planting make sure the best side of a plant is facing the way from which it will be viewed.
Provide adequate and consistent moisture. Water newly installed plants immediately after planting. While there is no set rule for watering, your new plants will need more frequent watering while they get established. Plan to provide supplemental watering during the plant’s first year in the ground.
