Before buying plants for your yard, you need to know what kind of soil you have. If you want to grow plants that do well in different situations, you may need to change your soil first. First, you need to find out if the dirt is wet and sticky (clay) or drier and easier to work with (sand).
Soil that has a lot of clay in it is hard to work with and would benefit greatly from compost or well-rotted dung. If your soil is sandy or chalky, adding organic matter is even more important. The acidity of the dirt should also be checked. Changing the pH of soil is generally hard. But you can do it with acid composts or by growing in a container made for acidic soil.
Plan out your yard
If you just got a new garden or made a new bed and already know what plants you want to put in it, making a planting plan is a great idea. Use magazine and catalog images of the plants you like. This is to try out different ways of putting them together. When the plants finally get there, you can put them wherever you want.
Planting seeds in containers
Make a spot for your plant to grow that is just right. You can use a potted plant to prove this by putting the pot into the hole. The best depth is equal to or less than the depth of the pot. It should fit snugly with about 2 cm of extra room around the edges. Usually, small plants are sold in plastic pots that are too small for them.
Putting bare-root plants in a garden or yard
When you put a shrub, tree, or rose with bare roots, give the roots plenty of room to grow. The earth “tide mark” at the base of the plant shows how deep it was planted when it was first put there. Think of this as a depth measure for planting. Fork the edges of the hole to make it easier for the roots to reach the dirt. Spread the roots of your bare-root plant out in the hole, then fill it with dirt and secure it with a stake. The earth around the area where you will plant should be softly firm.
How Deep to Plant
Before buying plants for your home garden, make sure you know what they need to grow well. For example, bearded irises should be placed in a sunny spot with the top of the rhizome just above the ground. But when you plant roses, make sure that the point where the variety and rootstock meet is at ground level.
Growing plants in pots
It can be fun to choose plants for pots that have different looks and colors for each season. A tried-and-true way to improve drainage is to put a few broken pieces of china at the bottom of the container. Mix some dirt with your compost if you don’t want it to dry out too quickly. The nutrients in compost are used up in about six weeks. So, feed your plants with a liquid feed. It can be tomato feed or a handful of slow-release fertilizer. All these to keep them healthy. Also, don’t be afraid to fill your pots all the way to the top; you can always take some out later.
About the Author
