Twig Tips by Jodie

A Black Thumb, Part Deux

Do YOU have a black thumb?  Last week I tried to help you get rid of it with some pointers about growing plants in pots....this week I will talk about trees and woody ornamentals that are growing in the ground. Why did I divide it up?  Plants are plants, right?  Nope.  Plants in the ground require very little care once established but this is where the black thumbs seem to show up.  When we think we are helping them get established, we often times are killing them with kindness. 

Going back to that light, water, food thing, here are some important differences between container plants and woody ornamentals growing in the ground.

A) Light It is still important to know light requirements of the individual plant.  No, more important.  You can't move it as easily as a potted plant to a better location so read the label and place it where it should be happy.

B) Water This is absolutely THE hardest thing to get right during the establishment of woody ornamentals.  Soil type is important to know.  If the planting site has clay soil, it is going to hold water and dry out much slower than a sandier spot.  Sandy soil doesn't have much water-holding capacity so it drains and dries out much quicker.  Since you can't actually see the water drain away like you can in a pot, some guessing is involved.  So here is how I guess......it's an educated guess, but a guess, nontheless.  1. Before you even plant, soak it well, then after you set it at the correct depth (see A Deep Subject, I already touched on that), create a dish and soak it well again.  2.  WATCH IT. Do NOT abandon it and go on vacation.  If it looks good, leave it alone and wait another day.  It will tell you when it is drying out because it will start to wilt a little.  This is not a bad thing because when a plant gets stressed, it is forced to root and and look for water, thus getting them "weaned" a bit sooner.  Remember from last week, though.  Drowning plants wilt too, so that is why you have to know what the watering situation has been. Evergreens just turn brown if they get too much water and in general, don't usually need as much as deciduous plants (the ones that have leaves).  After making it through the first growing season, you can relax a bit but still be observant.  If we are going through a drought period and you notice a plant looking stressed, WATER IT.  Watch all of your plants during a drought, we are seeing a lot of damage this summer related to last year's dry summer.  

C) Food A good root stimulator is helpful when first planting, I like Fertilome's Root Stimulator and use it faithfully for all my new plants, potted and in the ground.  This helps ease transplant shock and encourages new root growth.  I don't think that plants in the ground, once established, need a lot of extra fertilizer.  A good balanced granular fertilizer used as a topdressing in a bed can keep plants growing well in case there is poor soil nutrition from new construction (topsoil removed, sub-soil brought up...YUK) or extremely sandy soils that don't hold many nutrients and leach them easily.  But if you are getting decent growth, chances are there is adequate nutrition existing in the soil and Mother Nature will take care of things. 

I don't realize until I sit down to write one of these things how much there is to tell you.  I'm trying to be brief but there always seems more to say.  Feel free to drop me a line on our Facebook page (just "LIKE" us on Facebook if you are already on) or contact me through this website or call the nursery.  I always try to help and enjoy answering questions.  Good Luck with all of your plant experiences, whether it be a vegetable garden, a landscape planting, a house plant, medicinal marajuana (just had to throw that one in to see if you are paying attention). I'm sure your thumb is a bit greener now, right? RIGHT!!!

Hey, I try and so should you.  Off to hug my tree. - Jodie