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How To Plant

Selecting the Right Plant for the Right Place

Know your garden’s sunlight and soil conditions, as well as plant needs
Light Conditions
  • Full Sun: 6+ hours of sun anytime during the day/south and west sides of buildings.
  • Part shade: Lightly filtered sun or 3-5 hours of morning sun, sometimes found on the east side of buildings and under the light shade of trees.
  • Full Shade: 1-3 hours of sun anytime during the day, usually on the north side of homes, between buildings or under trees.
Soil and Moisture Conditions
  • Average Soil: We consider a variety of soils to be average, ranging from predominantly clay to loam soil that has a nice mix of clay, silt, sand, and organic materials. Plants labeled ‘Average soil’ will tolerate a large range of soil types.
  • Well-drained Soil: This soil type will have a balanced content of sand, silt and/or organic material, allowing it to drain easily. Plants that need well-drained soil will not survive if planted in poorly drained sites.
  • Moist, Well-drained Soils: This soil type can be found near water sources, depressions and shady woodland areas. High organic, silt and possibly sand content allows water to soak in, and be available through most of the growing season while draining slowly.
  • Wet Soil: Usually found in low-lying areas and often comprised of predominantly clay. Water is retained for a period of time, especially during seasons of higher moisture.
  • Dry Soil: Dry soils can be found at the top of slopes, under trees, near pavement and under eaves. These soils absorb water but drain quickly and excessively. Wet soil can become dry.

Planting Instructions

for Trees & Shrubs
  • Do not plant if the soil is soggy wet. One way to tell if soil is too wet is to squeeze it. If it is sticky and holds its shape it is too wet. Working the soil when it’s wet will remove air spaces and create hard edges when dry making it difficult for roots to grow into it.
  • Dig a sloped hole 3 times as wide as the pot but no deeper.
  • Separate the soil from the top of the planting hole and the clay from the lower part of the hole.
  • Mix in Espoma® Bio-tone into the top soil. Amendments should be added to the planting bed.
  • Rough up the sides of hole to remove glazing caused by the back of the shovel.
Balled and Burlapped Planting Tips
  • Find the root flare and remove any dirt that is on top of it, then measure the depth of the ball. 
  • After placing in hole, remove ropes, top half of the wire basket,
    and exposed burlap.
Container Planting Tips
  • Remove from container and find root flare for trees. Remove soil above the flare, then measure the depth of the pot.
  • Place tree in the hole so that the upper roots are just below ground
    level. For shrubs, plant them no deeper than they are in the container.
For Balled & Burlapped and Container Tree & Shrub Planting 
  • Using the soil clay soil from the lower part of the hole first then the soil from the top part, firmly pack more of it in until even with ground level.
  • Form a soil basin with 2”- 3” of soil 4”- 6” outside the edge of the planting hole to help make watering easier.
  • Water thoroughly after planting. For tips on watering head to the How to Water page.
  • Mulch with 2”- 3” bark mulch, making sure the mulch does not touch the trunk of the tree or base of the shrub. No volcano mulch!
staking balled & Burlapped and Container trees for stability 
  • Pound 3 stakes into the ground.
  • Use pieces of hose or protector for trunk and wire or rope.
  • Tie firmly to the vertical part of the trunk.
  • Remove after 1 year.
 

Tease the Roots!

Root preparation for trees, Shrubs, Perennials, & Annuals
  • Don’t Forget to Tease the Roots!
  • If the plant’s roots are circling, pry them apart and spread out in your planting hole. 
  • If the roots are thicker and dense, cutting the roots vertically works well, especially for trees, shrubs, and perennial grasses.

Planting Instructions

for Perennials & Annuals
PERENNIAL & ANNUAL PLANTING TIPS
  • When planting potted perennials and annuals, allow the container soil to dry slightly then remove the plant.
  • Add Espoma® Biotone and amendments, then mix into the planting area or bed.
  • Dig a planting hole no deeper than the depth of the grower pot.
  • Don’t forget to tease the roots! If the plant’s roots are tightly circling, gently pry them apart and spread out in your planting hole. Cutting the roots vertically will also work.
  • Break up any large clumps. Lightly firm the soil around the plant. Make sure that you keep the soil level the same as it was in the container.
  • If your perennial is in bud or bloom when you plant it, consider cutting these and enjoying them in a vase. This allows the plant to focus energy on growing roots.
  • Water thoroughly after planting. For tips on watering head to the How to Water page.

Mulching Guidelines

for Trees, Shrubs, Perennials, & Annuals
No Volcano Mulch!
Correct Way to Mulch

Natural mulches benefit all the plants in your garden. We recommend that you select mulch that is a natural by-product and not painted.

Our mulches are eco-friendly recycled by-products of the lumber and paper industries. We like to use hardwood or pine mulch.

Be sure to keep mulch away from the base of plants. Do not make volcanos around your plants. It can suffocate them.

For Trees and Shrubs
  • Keep a 2”- 3” layer of mulch around your trees and shrubs.
  • For trees, the mulched area should grow as the tree gets larger. Ideal would be up to the drip line.
 
For Annuals and Perennials
  • Keep a layer of finely shredded TGP Garden Compost Mix or pine fines, 1”- 2” in your garden beds.
  • Be sure to keep the mulch away from the stems and crowns of plants to avoid insect problems, fungal diseases and suffocating the plants.
  • If you are sowing seeds, do not mulch until the plants have several sets of leaves and the plants have been thinned for spacing. Weed regularly or weeds may overwhelm your seedlings before they are established.
Perennial & Annual Planting Tips
  • When planting potted perennials and annuals, allow the container soil to dry slightly then remove the plant.
  • Add Biotone and amendments, then mix into the planting area or bed. Dig a planting hole no deeper than the pot.
  • Don’t forget to tease the roots! If the plant’s roots are tightly circling, gently pry them apart and spread out in your planting hole. Cutting the roots vertically will also work.
  • Break up any large clumps. Lightly firm the soil around the plant. Make sure that you keep the soil level the same as it was in the container.
  • If your perennial is in bud or bloom when you plant it, consider cutting these and enjoying them in a vase. This allows the plant to focus energy on growing roots.
  • Water thoroughly after planting. For tips on watering head to the How to Water page.