How to Plant

You’ve recently received plants from us and want to know how to plant them? Or perhaps you bought some plants somewhere else. You came to the right place.

If you ordered during the autumn or winter you may find you received a plant that doesn’t look at its best. If it is a deciduous species, may not even have leaves. Don’t worry, you did very well ordering during this period of the year! In this season the plants are typically “sleeping”, waiting for the spring to come and reborn. This is the best time to plant them! And remember, the roots are the most important part. If the roots are good, the tops will grow healthy and beautiful!

In this page we provide general instructions on how to plant your new dear plants.

Before we begin

We don’t have greenhouses, so all our plants are fully hardy and they stay outside all through the year. This ensures that a minimum impact is expected when you plant them in your garden.

You should never plant them during hot dry weather or in waterlogged or icy ground. If you can’t plant them at the time of receive, store the plants in a sheltered place from sunshine, wind and snow and keep them watered. Plant them when the conditions improve.

How to plant in pots

Many plants will do great in pots. Although they don’t grow to their full size, there are some species that make a wonderful subject for pot planting. The procedure is basically the same as the one described for plant in the soil, but there are some particularities as explained below:

1. Chose the pot. This is of major importance. You need to choose a pot that has big drainage holes otherwise the excess water will turn the soil soggy and that will kill the plant;
2. Prepare the potting soil. Use a generic potting soil that is commercially available or prepare your own. You can mix peat, coarse sand or pine bark and a some compost from your compost bin. Just make sure to mix it all very well and the result is a fluffy well drained soil;

   

3. Prepare the plant. If the plant is in pot, you may need to lose some roots on the drainage holes and give the sides of the pot a little squeeze. Then, gently pull the plant. With a shovel or a stick lose the outside roots that maybe circling around the pot and in the bottom, but you don’t need to go too further into the root ball. If it is a bare root plant, the plant is ready to be planted in the new place;

   

4. Plant it. Fill ⅓ of the pot and place the plant in the middle. Fill in around the plant and gently press to soil so there is no air pockets. leave a margin to the top of the pot to facilitate the watering;

   

5. Water the plant. Use a watering can or something that simulates a thin rain and thoroughly water the plant until the excess water goes out from the drainage holes. Place the pot in an appropriate place and water regularly. Don’t let the soil to completely dry but also, don’t let it to remain soggy.

   

How to plant in the soil

The moment to plant your new dear friend has arrived. First you need to choose the right place to it. You need to understand the plant’s needs about light and soil. This is something you should have studied before the purchase. So let’s begin:

1. Water the plant. If the plant is in pot, you can put it for a while inside a water bucket so the water penetrates the root ball. If it is a bare root plant, you can spray the roots to keep them wet while you prepare the hole. Do not remove the soil that might be stuck in the roots;
2. Dig a hole. Dig a hole a little deeper and about twice as wide as the plant’s root ball. You should plant almost at the same deep as it was originally but you should consider a little space above to cover the root ball with a thin layer of ground. If the soil drains well (which is truly recommended) you can also let a small pit for the water. Check out this article about the best digging forks for tough soil;
3. Prepare the plant. If the plant is in pot, you may need to lose some roots on the drainage holes and give the sides of the pot a little squeeze. Then, gently pull the plant. With a shovel or a stick lose the outside roots that maybe circling around the pot and in the bottom, but you don’t need to go too further into the root ball. If it is a bare root plant, the plant is ready to be planted in the new place;
4. Plant it. Lay the plant in the middle of the hole. Assure it is in the right level and fill the hole with soil. Gently press the ground against the plant to eliminate any air pocket and to guarantee it is secure. You can put a small amount of soil on top of the soot ball, this will amount of water that will evaporate. You can also let a hedge to facilitate the watering;
5. Water the plant. After you are done with planting, you need to thoroughly water the plant. Use a watering can or something that simulates a thin rain. Depending on the weather, plant and soil you may need to water it frequently, don’t forget it.

Conclusion

When planting, make sure that the soil drains well, this is of utmost importance. Then, just guarantee that your are placing the plant in a proper site to that species and you appropriately water it. If you follow this simple rules, you will be successfully the great majority of times.

Have questions?

If this guide is not totally clear, feel free to ask us questions in the comments section below. Your questions may be other’s questions and we can help each other.