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PLANTING GUIDE
Many people worry about the best way to get their new ornamental plants in the ground to give them the best start in their new life but the good news is planting isn't difficult or complicated.
There are just a few key elements to get right to make your new plant as happy as possible!
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So here is step-by-step how to plant your new plant:
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1. Select an appropriate location for your plant (on our site this information will be available on the product's page) and dig a hole slightly deeper and slightly wider than the rootball of the plant.
Planting Guide: Text
Planting Guide: Image
Planting Guide: Image
2. Put a thin layer of compost, around an inch for a 3 litre plant, on the bottom of the hole and firm it by pressing down on it quite hard with your hands or a flat object (the spade is just in the photo for scale, it doesn't need to be there).
Planting Guide: Text
Planting Guide: Image
Planting Guide: Image
3. Remove the plant from it's pot and place the rootball in the centre of the hole on top of the compost.
Planting Guide: Text
Planting Guide: Image
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4. Fill the edges of the hole around the rootball with a 50/50 mix of the soil you dug out of the hole and some more compost.
Planting Guide: Text
Planting Guide: Image
5. Firm the filled edges of the hole in the same way as step 2. This is the step where we see a lot of people make a mistake by not firming the soil/compost blend around the edge of hole enough. The plant needs firm soil all around it to give its roots something to anchor into properly. If the soil is too loose the roots won't be able to 'hold on to' the soil well enough and the plant will struggle.
Planting Guide: Text
Planting Guide: Image
6. Give your new plant a good water when it first goes in unless the weather forecast is for rain.
Planting Guide: Text
Planting Guide: Image
Planting Guide: Image
7. Watch your new plant grow!
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If you're planting in spring or summer we would recommend a heavy water every 2-3 days. Keeping the rootball moist when it first goes in the ground is very important for the plant to establish properly.
Don't wait until the soil is totally dry before watering, keep it topped up so the soil 2-3 inches deep is damp at all times (during warm weather the soil on the very top will dry out almost straight away but this isn't a problem, it's keeping the soil damp a few inches down which is the important thing).
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When buying compost just choose a good quality compost either online or from a garden centre that is the right acidity for the plant you are using it for. This will generally just be multi-purpose or ericaceous which is a slightly higher acidity and is preferred by some plants.
The compost will be full of nutrients that along with water and sunlight, will give the roots of your new plant everything it needs to get going.
Planting Guide: Text
Planting Guide: Image
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