If planting is one of the most enjoyable things to do in the garden, it is also one of the most crucial phases in the life of a plant, tree or shrub. We owe it to them to plant them well! Exposure, soil type, soil mix, and the climate are parameters that you can work with to succeed in planting.
Plants deserve that you provide them the best possible care from day 1.
Each of the information pages on this website will guide you regarding this. Here are a few major guidelines to get you started:
Generally speaking, any plant purchased in a pot or container can be planted to the ground from spring to fall.
To plant perennials in summer, avoid days where the temperature is very high, which would lead to more watering in volume and frequency.
You’ll indeed have to ensure the soil never dries up, because the plant has very low stocks of water. Roots haven’t yet dug deep into the ground to find water on their own. Mulch greatly helps reduce evaporation.
Those that bloom in spring are planted in fall.
Bulbs that bloom in summer are planted in spring.
Bulbs rot in soil that stays wet, so work in grit or coarse sand on heavy clay, or plant on a raised bed instead.
They’re planted in fall when purchased with bare roots, but can easily be planted during the rest of the year if purchased in a container with a clump of soil.
If you’re planting in spring or summer, provide for regular watering during the entire first year, and, if possible, spread mulch at the foot of the plant to retain soil moisture and promote growth.
Also avoid planting in winter, because the ground is very hard and the slightest bout of freezing could kill the young specimen.
When purchased in pots or containers, rose trees are preferably planted in fall.
Planting is also possible in spring, but only if you’re able to water often.
For bare-rooted rose trees, the only possible planting period is fall.
Soak the roots of a bare-rooted rose in a bucket of water for a few hours before it goes in the ground, so they are plump rather than shrivelled.
These are planted preferably in spring, since this gives them time to grow roots before having to stand up to the first summer heat waves.
Also plant all the Mediterranean type plants sold in containers in summer, provided you’re there to water in the evening in case of an extended dry spell.
The best season to plant is also fall.
It remains possible to plant in spring or summer, but always take care to avoid days of very hot weather, and, in any case, water plants more regularly.
Soak the root ball in a bucket until bubbles stop rising, as dry peat-based compost repels water once in the ground.
Almost everything can go in the ground between spring and autumn, but each group has a season that gives it the easiest start. Use the table to find the window that matches what you have bought, and the precaution that goes with it.
| Plant type | Best planting time | Also possible | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perennial flowers in pots | Spring to autumn | Summer, avoiding very hot days | Roots are still shallow, so the soil must never dry out |
| Bulb flowers | Autumn for spring-flowering kinds | Spring for summer-flowering kinds | Match the planting season to the flowering season |
| Container-grown trees and shrubs | Most of the year | Spring or summer with watering | Regular watering for the whole first year, plus mulch |
| Bare-root trees and shrubs | Autumn | Not winter | Hard, freezing ground can kill a young specimen |
| Rose trees | Autumn | Spring, only if you can water often | Bare-rooted roses can only go in during autumn |
| Mediterranean type plants | Spring | Summer, if sold in containers | Evening watering during an extended dry spell |
| Heath plants and heather | Autumn | Spring or summer | Avoid very hot weather and water more regularly |
Whatever the season, the container-grown plant is the flexible option and the bare-root one is the autumn-only option.
Why does such a plant need heath soil? Why will another type will do fine with any standard all-purpose soil mix?
After months or years having grown in the nursery’s protected environment, each plant suddenly find itself growing in a very different universe.
Moving out from the cuddling garden center where growth conditions are optimal, they’re going to have to adapt to their new “home”.
It is important to answer the needs each plant has, providing it with the specific care it requires.
Scroll through these pages, you’ll find the right practices to ensure your planting will succeed.
