How to start on the right foot with new plants
You invest a lot of money and high hopes in landscape plants. You certainly do not want them to fizzle when you get them in the ground. However, many plants never reach their potential. That is because people often start making serious mistakes from the moment they get their plants home.
The first and most critical step in keeping ornamental plants healthy and flourishing is to get them off to a good start. So how do you get your plants off to a good start? Here are some basic planting tips:
♦ Prepare the soil over a large area by tilling 12-15 inches deep where possible, except when planting under trees.
♦ Avoid planting in wet, poorly drained soils.
♦ When planting single plants, dig the hole at least twice as wide as the plant’s root ball.
♦ Make sure the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface.
♦ Remove any wire or cord from around the stem of balled-and-burlap covered plants.
♦ Break apart clods and remove stones, and then backfill with the native soil, tamping lightly to help settle the soil around the roots.
♦ Don’t add peat moss or other organic matter to the planting hole.
♦ Water thoroughly after planting and as often as needed as the plant is getting established.
♦ Mulch to conserve moisture and prevent weeds.
♦ Stake only trees more than five feet high or those planted in an exposed, windy site.
♦ Allow plants to become established before fertilizing. If you have any questions regarding your plants, please contact the extension office at 770-749-2142 or email uge2233@uga.edu.
For more information and details on upcoming events, check out the Polk County Extension office on Facebook by searching “UGA Extension Polk County.”