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Back to How To....    |   How To Plant Bedding Plants & Annual Color

Introduction: Whenever you plant flowers, bedding plants, and in fact many trees and shrubs, the most important thing is to plant them at the correct depth. The most common mistake is that people plant flowers and even trees and shrubs, either too high and the root ball dries out, or too low and the plant rots. This information applies whether you are planting in a container or out in the landscape. Follow the steps below and you'll never go wrong! 1. Remove Plant Carefully remove your plant from its container. This can be harder than it sounds sometimes! Never pull any plant out of its container by its leaves. If the plant doesn't have a solid root system yet, you run the risk of yanking the top right off the plant In the case of a jumbo pack, just give the bottom of the container a light pinch, then turn the container over as you gently work the plant out. Always work the plant out from the bottom and then gently pull the root ball from the sides as the plant starts to come out. Click on pictures for a larger image               2. Plant at Correct Depth Always plant at the correct depth. You want the top of the root ball to be at the same level as the soil level you are planting too. Below is how to plant correctly. Click on pictures for a larger image               3. Avoid Planting Too High If you plant the root ball too high, it will dry out and either die, or just not thrive and do well. Click on pictures for a larger image               4. Avoid Planting Too Low If you plant the root ball too low, and you get soil up around the stem or crown of the plant, it will rot. Very few plants can be planted too low and survive. Keep this in mind because sometimes after you plant and water in, the plant will "settle", meaning it will sink down into the hole you dug. So always check the level of the root ball after watering just to make sure it hasn't settled and the root ball is still at the correct level. Click on pictures for a larger image               5. Water In You can water in with regular water, or what I like to do, is water in with liquid fertilizer. It gives the plant some much needed nutrients and gets it off to a good start. After watering, check to make sure the root ball has not settled and is still at the correct level. Click on pictures for a larger image        6. Put Down Snail Bait Lastly, give your plants some protection from snails and slugs! Don't wait to do this. I have seen people plant one day, and have everything demolished by the next day, because overnight the slugs and snails wiped everything out. Snail bait now. Put down fresh snail bait weekly to keep your plants safe. If you have children or pets, and there is room, cover the bait with an upside down foil baking tin with holes cut out on the sides. Put a rock on the tin. That way the snails can get in, but it keeps your pets and kids out. Click on pictures for a larger image               7. Enjoy Your Plants! Click on pictures for a larger image        Back to top of page

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