You’ve brought home beautiful flowers from your favorite garden center. How and when you plant them in your garden and how you care for them is going to determine if they thrive or if they struggle.
What size hole should you dig for your new plant?
There’s an old adage in gardening: “Better to put a fifty-cent plant in a five-dollar hole than a five-dollar plant in a fifty-cent hole.” In other words, take your time and dig a proper hole for your new plant.
A BIG mistake that some gardeners make is to dig a hole the same size as the root ball, pull the plant out of the container, drop it in the hole and cover it up with garden soil. When the plant dies and you pull it out of the hole, the root ball will probably look just like it did when you originally planted it. That means the roots never expanded beyond their planting medium because the soil was too dense (or one of many other soil-related reasons). The plant never had a chance.
A proper hole for any plant is at least 2X the width of the root ball, and only as deep as the root ball. Backfill with the same soil you removed and add 2 inches of compost on top of the soil around the root zone to introduce organic matter into the soil.
Avoid transplant stress
Up to this point, your plant has most likely lived its life with near perfect light in a pot in a greenhouse and a garden center. It has been hardened off and is at least a few months old. Any plant is going to experience a certain amount of stress when transplanted and it’s up to you to minimize how much your plant has to endure. Minimizing plant stress helps the plant to root faster which leads to strong stems, and robust flower buds and foliage.
Is your plant a sun lover, shade lover or somewhere in between?
It’s also important to site the plant correctly: How much light or shade does it like? What kind of soil? How much water? What size will it be when fully mature? Once you’ve answered these questions you’ll find the perfect place on your property to show off your new addition. (Hint: the plant tag can answer many of these questions. It also helps to do a little research online).
Get your garden soil in shape
If you have poor soil, you’ll have a poor plant (In most cases). Before you dig your hole, make sure that the soil drains well and has plenty of organic material to nourish the plant. If you’re in doubt about your soil’s fertility, have a soil test performed.
Container vs bare root planting
Bare root plants
If your plant is bare root, dig a hole wide enough to accommodate all the roots. As mentioned above, the rule of thumb is to make your hole at least twice as wide as the root system. When planted correctly (in most cases), the top of the roots should not be showing and when you look at the stem, you should be able to see a slight coloration difference indicating the previous soil’s depth. See the instructions for planting above.
Container plants
- Dig a hole twice as wide as the container and at least as deep as the root ball.
- Remove burlap or any kind of fabric that surrounds the root ball. Leaving this on will girdle the root system and cause premature death.
- Fill the hole with water, let it drain, then fill and drain again.
- Support the plant with one hand, turn the container upside down and ease the plant out of the container (sometimes it helps to thoroughly soak the root ball in water first).
- Lightly use your fingers to comb out or “wash” the roots.
- Place the plant in the hole and backfill with soil to the same planting depth the plant was in the container (usually up to the crown).
- Add 2-3 inches of compost around the plant but not touching the stem. This organic matter should be sufficient to feed the plant and get it off to a good start.
After planting, soak the area around the plant thoroughly with water to settle the soil. If you live in a cold area, mulch around the plant as winter approaches to protect it from freezing soil and frost heave. Water regularly the first season until your new plant is established.