Jay Sanders

Gardening Advice - Planting with Care

The most important consideration when planting anything is to make sure it is positioned in a spot where it will be happy. It is a complete waste of time, effort and money to put a sun-loving plant in deepest shade, however much you may want it to grow there.

  You must also make sure that the eventual size of the plant and its roots will be suitable for your chosen spot. This is particularly important for trees; they should never be planted too near buildings because of the spread of their roots.

 Timing is also important. Autumn and spring are usually the best times to plant out, depending on the plant and the condition of the soil. Spring is best if you have heavy soil that could become waterlogged during the winter, and for less hardy and evergreen plants. All tender annuals must not be planted out until after the last frost. Basic planting rules apply to everything:

 -       The hole must be large enough to accommodate the roots comfortably.

-       The plant should be surrounded by a mixture of compost and soil. You want a reasonably rich mixture to help the plant settle in but not so rich that the roots will not spread out into the soil beyond. If you make the mixture too rich the roots will stay within it and simply grow around in circles. This can be a particular problem in heavy soils that the roots may find hard to penetrate.

-       The plant must be fixed gently but firmly into the soil.

-       Plenty of water should be given before and after planting; this applies to everything, even drought-tolerant plants.

 Planting roses

 The planting techniques are the same as for shrubs except as follows.

 -       Mix plenty of well-rotted manure and bone meal at the base of the hole.

-       Position the plant so that the joint where the rootstock starts is 2.5 cm/1 in below the surface of the ground.

-       After planting, prune back to two or three buds per stem. This may seem vicious but it will encourage more vigorous growth.

 Planting climbers

The soil at the base of walls tends to be dry so position the plants 30-45 cm/12-18 in away. Plant as for shrubs. After planting, untie the stems and gently spread them out and train them in the correct directions. Remove all the ties and add new ones, using soft green twine, which will allow for growth.

 Clematis should be planted 8 cm/3 in below the level of the soil to encourage strong shoots that will be better able to withstand the potentially fatal problem of clematis wilt.

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