Now is the time of year to get down to some really serious gardening. I take it that by now you have managed to tidy up the garden, got rid of all the weeds that have come up over the winter, cut and trimmed the lawn, and got rid of all the dead and dying foliage from the herbaceous plants that have just started their new growth. If you haven't, it is time you got busy.
By now the soil will be warm enough and dry enough to think about putting in new plants. But what is the right way to plant? And what is the wrong way? Personally, I don't think there are any right ways or wrong ways. Only good ways and bad ways. Let us assume that what you want to put in is a shrub that is suitable for your type of soil and the situation ˜ dry or moist, sunny or shady. First of all, is there room for it. Your shrub may look small enough to go in between those other bushes, but what will it look like in five or ten years time. If it is going to grow until it is three feet across and you want to put it near one that is five foot across, then you need to plant it at a distance of four feet. Three plus five is eight, and half of eight is four. And now you have to prepare the soil. It is no good just digging a hole big enough to take the root ball; that is a bad way. A small hole in hard ground acts as a sink which will fill up with water as soon as it rains, and it is surprising how many plants die from drowning. And the roots want to grow ˜ it's a habit they have ˜ and they will find it difficult if they are surrounded by solid clay. So turn over an area as big as you can, at least as big as the size of the fully grown shrub, and add some form of humus ˜ well rotted compost or manure.
Now water the plant well while it is still in its pot. Next, dig out a hole big enough to accommodate the roots with a bit of room to spare, and fork the base to break up any panning. It is at this time that I fill up the hole with water and have a cup of coffee while it is draining away. A cup of tea will do just as well if you prefer it. If it is a tall shrub like a tree that you are going to plant, it may require staking. If so, bang in a stake on the windward side, putting a third of the stake under the ground to prevent it rocking. The shrub usually needs to be planted at the same depth as the soil mark on the stem, though there are some ˜ clematis, for example ˜ which should be planted deeper. And, if it has been grafted on to a root stock, the graft union should be well above soil level. This can usually be checked while the plant is still in its pot. Once the depth of the hole is right, knock the plant out of the pot (break the pot if it is easier ˜ after all, pots are cheap compared to plants), and plant it. If there is a graft, the graft union should face away from the stake and the branches just clear of it to prevent rubbing. Add soil to the hole and gently shake the soil around the roots by jiggling the shrub up and down, and then firm it in well with your foot. Then fasten it to the stake, if there is one, with a tie. And finally, water well to settle the soil round the roots.
As with all things, there are various ways of achieving the same end. Some people add a handful of general fertilizer to the planting hole and to the soil that came out of the hole, mixing it thoroughly before putting it back. Some put the topsoil and sub-soil in different piles, and then put the topsoil back in first around the tree roots and the subsoil on the surface. Subsoil is less fertile than topsoil and when put on the surface will discourage the growth of weeds. Others discard the soil from the hole altogether and plant in a special mix of one part loam, one part peat and three handfuls of bonemeal per barrowload, or something they got in a bag from the garden centre. It's a case of every man to his own way. None of these are right ways or wrong ways, they are all good ways.
The saying 'You are what you eat' applies to plants as well as people. If they are fed a well-balanced diet they will be healthier. Organic matter is essential. It provides nutrients, cures many soil problems, and improves soil structure so that the roots can get right down to tap more nutrients, water, and air. Dig in half a barrowload of well-rotted compost or manure before planting and apply an organic mulch annually in March to a warm, moist soil to keep it that way. Mulches also keep weeds down, reducing competition to leave more food for the plants. On a good, fertile soil this mulch is probably all that is needed, but it is a good idea to add fertilizers, organic or inorganic (the plants can't tell the difference), in late February or early March to put back in what has been taken out during the previous twelve months.
Happy Gardening
written by Billl Hutchings
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page last updated 1 APRIL 1998