Always select plants that best fit the space, growing conditions and your landscape design. Check the tag for all these details and more to help with your selection.
Trees
- How to use them in the landscape
- Framework of the landscape
- Seasonal Interest – flowers, fruit and fall color
- Attract birds, shelter for wildlife
- Where to plant them
- Near patio, deck and play areas for shade
- East east and west side of the house to shade windows and the roof for energy savings
- Specimen – focal point in the landscape
- How to Plant
- Locate rootflare – place where roots curve away from trunk
- Rootflare should be at or slightly above soil surface
- Locate rootflare – place where roots curve away from trunk
- Dig hole
- Deep as distance from rootflare to bottom of root ball in center getting shallower as it reaches the edge of the hole
- 2 to 5 times wider than rootball
- Roughen sides of planting hole so roots can explore the surrounding soil
- Set plant in the hole
- Lift by the container or rootball NOT the trunk
- Remove tags and ribbons
- Slide out or cut away pot OR Cut away burlap and wire baskets
- Loosen any girdling roots
- Fill hole with existing soil
- Water thoroughly and mulch
- Cover surrounding soil with 2 to 3 inches of mulch
- Keep mulch off root flare and several inches away from trunk
- Remove only broken or rubbing branches at planting
Shrubs
- How to use shrubs in the landscape
- Screening bad views
- Hedges – define spaces in the landscape
- Seasonal interest in mixed borders
- Specimen plants – focal point
- Where to plant
- Taller shrubs in the back of the mixed border
- Along the lot line to Create Privacy
- Near the house for insulation and energy Savings
- How to Plant
- Locate the crown (place where stems meet the roots)
- Plant so crown is even with the soil surface
- Locate the crown (place where stems meet the roots)
- Dig hole
- Same depth as distance from crown to bottom of rootball
- 2 to 3 times wider than the rootball
- Roughen sides of the hole
- Set shrub in hole
- Remove tags
- Loosen any girdling (circling roots)
- Fill hole with existing soil
- Water and mulch
- Keep mulch a couple of inches away from crown of plant
- Remove only broken and crossing branches
Perennials
- How to Use
- Add seasonal color and fragrance
- Groundcover around trees and shrubs
- Mixed borders
- Food for birds, butterflies and other pollinators
- Where to Plant
- Flower Beds
- Mixed borders
- Groundcovers
- How to Plant
- Prepare the soil in the garden bed
- Add compost to the top 8 to 12 inches of soil
- Improve drainage and increases water holding ability
- Add compost to the top 8 to 12 inches of soil
- Prepare the soil in the garden bed
- Dig hole the same depth but wider than the rootball
- Slide perennial out of the pot and loosen roots
- Set in hole so crown (where roots meet the stems) of the plant are even with the soil surface
- Cover roots with soil
- Water and mulch
- Don’t bury the crown of the plant
Post Planting Care
- Water thoroughly whenever the top few inches of soil are crumbly but slightly moist
- Check new plantings several times a week – but only water as needed
Written by, Melinda Myers. Melinda Myers is a nationally recognized gardening expert with more than 30 years of horticulture experience. She is a wealth of knowledge and we are pleased to share Melinda’s Gardening How-To with you!
