Meadow View Greenhouse & Garden Center

ETMV May 2010

Yeah! It’s Spring! Everyone has been cooped up all winter and cabin fever is rampant, so customers are rushing to get plants. They want to put something, anything out as soon as they can. Hang on a minute, folks. The most common mistake we see is customers not choosing the right plant for their landscape conditions. Everyone wants the perfect plant, but the perfect plant will not be perfect if it is planted in the wrong location, or the wrong way. Slow down and educate yourself before you rush out to spend money on a plant that can’t make you happy because you are asking it to do something it was never capable of doing.

There are several things you need to know about a plant before you purchase it.

The first piece of information you need to know is what “zone” the plant is hardy in. We are USDA Zone 6.5 to 7. (Many plants will have their hardiness zone on the tag.) This simply means that if a plant is not labeled for our zone, you may be able to grow it but you will likely have to lower your expectations. If it is labeled for further north, it may not perform as well as desired. If it is labeled for further south, it may not tolerate our winters.

The next and perhaps most crucial information you need to know is how much sun the plant needs. The intensity of the sun changes greatly during the day, so an area that gets 6 hours of morning sun is very different from an area that gets 6 hours of afternoon sun. In general, a plant that needs full sun will need at least 6 hours and prefers it to be in the afternoon. A plant that needs shade, however, may only be able to tolerate a couple of hours in the early part of the day. Watch the area where you are planting for a day or so and you will have a better idea of the light situation there.

How much water the plant needs is the third important piece of information. Water conditions can vary greatly in your yard because of changes in elevation and drainage. Do you have a sprinkler? Do you water carefully or haphazardly? Do you tend to go out of town for weeks at a time? We need to know these things so that we can steer you in the right direction. Some plants don’t mind being damp, but others will simply not tolerate wet feet. Some will revive after drying out, and others will not.

The mature size of the plant is the next key piece of information you need to know. One of the biggest problems we see is customers cramming too many plants into an area because they are starting out with baby plants and they aren’t thinking about what it is going to be like when it grows up. Spacing a plant that grows 6’ wide 2’ from its neighbor means neither are going to be happy. It is better for it to look a little sparse at first than for it to be crowded a year from now. Also keep in mind how tall the plant will get. Many cases of Crape Murder are committed because the customer was not prepared for the mature size of the plant.

One other crucial factor for some plants is the pH of your soil. There are some, such as azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias and blueberries that will not do well in alkaline soil. They must have acidic soil in

order to be able to take up nutrients. Other plants prefer a more alkaline environment. It may be a good idea for you to test your soil before you start planting, particularly if your house is a new construction. Lots of recently poured concrete leaches limestone into the soil, which will make your soil more alkaline. You may need to add extra amendments to the soil to change your pH levels.

After we have helped you pick out the right plant for your conditions, the next step is up to you. Take the plant home and plant it correctly. This means dig a wide, not deep hole and mix some good stuff in. Soil conditioner, compost, topsoil, etc will help the drainage of the clay. You want to mix the clay with the additive so that you have a 50/50 mix; don’t just plant in the additive. Otherwise, you have dug a big clay bowl that will hold water. And speaking of water, don’t forget that crucial step. If our normal drought pattern resumes, you will have to water any time we are not getting at least 1” of rainfall per week.

That’s all for this month. Come on out an visit us to see what’s new!