Plants
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Planting a garden is very satisfying work. If the plants have been correctly located, one can look forward to continuous growth and improvement over the years. However, if the plants have been put in the wrong spots or the wrong plant has been selected for a particular situation, the result may also be considerable expense, effort and disappointment. Planning beforehand can save a great deal of frustration later. The best looking gardens are planted to a plan where each plant has been carefully selected for its position in the garden.
Plant selection
When selecting plants for the garden, be guided by the purpose of the plant rather than the attractiveness of the plant as it is displayed in the nursery. Also, avoid the temptation to buy one of everything. The result will be a botanical garden lacking any sense of design intent.
There are a number of factors to be aware of when buying plants from your local nursery.
Characteristics of a good plant
- Plant should be free of pests and diseases
- Foliage should be dark green (except for variegated plants)
- Growing tips should be vigorous and lush and definitely not wilting
- Stem should be young, supple, rigid and single
- Roots should be white tipped and not growing around the inside of the pot.
Avoid plants which:
- are pale in colour and have distorted new growth
- have sparse foliage
- are floppy, loose or otherwise unstable in the pot
- are multi-stemmed or multi-planted in one pot
- have pot-bound roots.
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Planting
Most plants in Australia are supplied in plastic pots. This makes standing and transporting the plant much easier and the plant remains protected until it is finally removed from the pot for planting.
Prior to planting out, water each plant thoroughly and allow the pots to drain fully. Next, place each potted plant in its correct position according to the planting plan and assess the layout. Make adjustments where necessary.
For each plant, move the pot to one side and dig a hole twice the width and twice the depth of the pot.
Roughen the edges of the planting hole.
Incorporate organic matter and fertiliser with the soil taken out of the hole and backfill. Now test the height with the pot and add or remove backfill as necessary. The rim of the pot should be level with the top of the hole.
Carefully remove the plant from the pot. The best way to do this is to hold the stem of the plant with one hand and then squeeze the pot with the other hand and/or foot.
Rub around the root ball to tease out the roots but be careful to keep the root ball intact.
Gently position the plant in the hole and back-fill the sides of the hole with the improved soil and pat down firmly. The top of the root ball should now be slightly lower than the surrounding ground. This "dish drain" effect around the plant will direct water to the root ball.
Spread mulch around the plant but avoid a build up of mulch around the stem.
Pay particular attention to weeds beneath the plant while it is becoming established. Weeds can be quite difficult to remove once they anchor into the plant's root-ball.
Staking
Stakes tend to do more harm than good because the plant tends to rely on the stake for support rather than develop its own support mechanisms. If stakes are necessary to protect a tree from winds or traffic, ensure they are removed as soon as possible. If a plant does need to be staked, avoid driving the stake into the root ball and ensure the webbing ties are loose enough to allow flexing of the plant's stem in the wind.
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