Proper Plant Management

You’ve put your green thumb to work and now all you have to do is sit back and watch your colorful beauties grow! Well…that’s not necessarily the case. New plantings require a little TLC, and proper/timely maintenance is essential to your plant’s success!

Once you’ve installed the plant, we recommend watering thoroughly to the bottom of the plant’s root mass, soaking the surrounding soil. It’s better to soak plant material periodically rather than water minimally each day. (In hot drought conditions, plant material will take more water than usual) Larger plant material, like trees and shrubs, will have a much larger root ball that will need to be watered deeper (longer) than perennials and groundcovers that have shallow root systems. Always take recent rainfall into consideration when preparing to water.

While H2O is vital, you still have to use caution. Over watering plants may cause problems as well. If you have been watering regularly and the plant material looks wilted or yellowed, it may be over watered. If that’s the case, it’s best to allow roots to dry thoroughly before the next watering. On the other hand, if the plant foliage is dry and browning, this is a sign of under watering. If summer vacations, BBQ’s, or soccer games are taking up most of your free time, a soaker hose can be used effectively. However, this doesn’t take the place of proper observation. You need to regularly check the plant material for signs of decline and over/under watering.

Time of day is also a factor to take into consideration. Whenever possible, water your plants in the morning hours before the sun reaches hot temperatures. This will help prevent sun scorch, leaf spot, mildew, and other foliage problems.

Another helpful tip: most perennial varieties benefit from deadheading (removal of spent blooms) throughout the season. However, some people prefer to leave spent blooms on plants for birds and winter interest. Don’t’ worry, leaving spent blooms on plant material will not hinder plant growth.