Planting Instructions Guide
How to Plant Your New Potted Plants 🌱Congratulations, your new plants have arrived! To help them thrive in there new home, follow these simple steps:
1. Transitioning 🚚
Your plants have arrived! Welcome them to their new home by following these steps:- Remove the plants from the box carefully. 📦- Find a shady spot for your plants and quench their thirst with some water. 🌳💧- Protect them from extreme temperatures and hungry animals. 🌡️🐿️- Try to plant them within a week of arrival. 🗓️
2. Preparing the Hole 🕳️
Ready to plant? Here's what you need to do:- Choose a location that suits your plant's needs. Check the label for sun, water, and soil preferences. 🌞💦🌱- Dig a hole that is twice as wide and almost as deep as the pot. 🪴- Press down the soil at the bottom of the hole. 🖐️- Water the hole and let it drain. 💦
3. Mixing
Prep Backfill mix between 30 and 50% amendment with the native soil from the hole. Sprinkle some backfill material into the bottom of the hole, moisten, tamp and mound slightly. 🌿
4. Removing the Plant 🌼
If you have a plant in a plastic pot, follow these steps:- Place your fingers over the top of the pot, and around the stem of the plant. ✋- Turn the pot over, and slide off the plastic pot, so the plant is upside down resting on your hand. 🙃- Using both hands, turn the plant right side up and place it in the hole, disturbing the roots as little as possible. 🙂- If the plant is root bound, massage the edges of the roots to loosen them before filling the hole.
5. Measure Depth 📏
Place the plant on top of the wet soil so that the base of the stem is slightly above the ground level. This will put the plant on a slight mound.(You might want to think about also putting in a gopher gauge if gophers are in the area)
6. Backfill
Replace backfill material up to about 2/3 the height of the root ball; moistening, tamping and settling all around. Fill the remaining portion surrounding the top of the root ball with more backfill. Be sure the base of the plant is still higher than grade. 🌱
7. Create an Irrigation Basin 💧
Create a berm, or a raised ring of soil, around the edge of the hole using the remaining backfill and native soil. This will help retain water and direct it to the roots of your plant. 🌊
8. Mulch 🍂
Apply a generous layer of 2-4″ deep mulch; topdressing the entire basin area leaving a gap from the trunk of the plant. Mulch will help conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and moderate soil temperature. 🌡️## 9. Water 💦Irrigate thoroughly, filling the basin with water and sprinkling around to settle backfill, mulch and berm. Allow to soak in and repeat. Water your plant regularly until it is established, then adjust the frequency according to the plant's needs and the weather conditions. 🌧️
Establishment 🌻
Maintaining proper irrigation, especially during summer, is often the most critical act of care. Protecting your plant from animal predation is often a close second. This may require a deer fence/cage. Third, keep your plant's root zone free of weeds while it's growing into its home. 🌿
Reflection On Your Work 🎉
Congratulations you've helped make the world a little greener!Your efforts to cultivate these plants and support sustainable gardening are having a positive impact on the environment. You're helping to create a more diverse ecosystem, purify the air and water, and provide a haven for local species. Every plant makes a difference! 🌎Sure, I can add emojis to the instructions to make them more fun and expressive. 😊
Care for Your Plants After Planting 🌱
You have successfully planted your new potted plants. Now you need to take good care of them to ensure their health and growth. Here are some tips on how to maintain your plants:
Keep an Eye on Your Plants 👀
Pay special attention to your plants during the first few weeks, and then more attention through the first season. Keep your eye out for early warning signs of waning health - discolored, wilting or wildlife-nibbled leaves are often the first indicators. From there, adjustments can be made to water or fertility or protection to restore vitality before it's too late. 🚑
Water Your Plants Wisely 💦
Summer is the most difficult season to install native plants in the landscape (for best results, wait until fall through early spring).Do not allow the root ball to dry out; water 1-3 times a week by thoroughly watering, while allowing the soil to slightly dry between waterings.Infrequent, deep soaking is preferable to short, frequent waterings. 💧Avoid watering during the heat of the day, and avoid overhead watering; prolonged leaf wetting can promote disease. 🌡️
Prune Your Plants Carefully ✂️Depending on the type of plant, you will need to thin and “head back”, to direct growth of the maturing plant. Remove any dead wood. Use sanitation procedures when pruning diseased branches. 🌿
Bare Root Plants 🌳
Receiving Bare Root Plants 📦
Carefully remove the bare root plants from the box. As long as you keep them moist and in the shade, you can keep them in their original burlap and sawdust packaging for up to 1 week. During this time, keep them out of excess heat or cold and away from animal predation. Do not soak in water.
Plant as soon as the ground is workable. 🌱
If you need to store them longer, you can bury the roots in moist sawdust (or similar medium), either outside or in a garage. If they remain moist, they can be held this way safely for up to a month or until they are ready to plant. If the bare root plants have broken dormancy and your temperatures are below 25 degrees, its best to pot them up and bring them inside next to a window.
Do NOT overwater. 💦
