Flower gardens add color and
imagination to the greenery of your backyard or front porch.
To ensure the flowers you plant continue to grow healthy and
strong, follow these planting instructions. The instructions
work for seedlings and mature plants.
 The first step is to choose healthy nursery stock.
Avoid long plants in full bloom, as these aren't fit well
for transplantation. Also stay away from plants with
discolored and wilted leaves. Instead, go for stocky, deep
green plants with buds.
 Healthy bedding plants are shorter and have a good
amount of side branching and healthy stems. These transplant
and grow more readily than dense, lanky plants. Sometimes
transplants have crowded roots that become entangled (known
as root bound). If the plant you purchase shows signs of
this condition, at planting time loosen the root ball a
little.
 When you plant is also important. The best time to
plant is after the last frost date on a warm, cloudy day.
Preparation will ensure a proper transplant. Using a
cultivator or hoe, loosen the soil, leaving behind no bulky
clods. Dig a planting hole with a trowel that is sized to
fit the root ball and has room for some growth.
 To transplant, place the root ball into the hole
and fill the space around it with soil. In order for each
plant to reach maturity and grow to a good size, leave some
space between seedlings. This will avoid problems of future
crowding.
 Larger plants can be planted following a similar
method. Plants that have a tendency to overgrow (tansy,
mint, bamboo) should be planted right in their pots. But
before you plant the pots, cut out the bottom to contain
their runners.
 For several weeks after planting, don't add any
fertilizer. Thorough watering is important though - it's
also helpful to apply some B vitamins so that the plants are
better able to deal with the shock of transplantation. Keep
watering on a regular basis until you start to notice new
growth. This is an indication that the plants are putting
down roots and have a good chance of survival. |
