With the proper care, your plants should enhance your home for many years to come. Here are some general guidelines to follow for the first year to ensure your plants get off to a good start. Watering is most critical this first year. Plants should be watered thoroughly at the time of installation and twice a week for the first 2 weeks after being planted. After that, you should water plants once a week thoroughly, making sure to apply enough water to totally saturate the plant’s entire root system.
During periods of very hot weather, you may need to water more often. Never water just a little each day, always give plants a thorough watering and then wait a few days for the soil to begin to dry. This is when you should water the plant again. Watering every day will cause the ground to sour and the roots of the plant to rot. For rain to be considered as a thorough watering, it must have rained at least 1”. The whole first year a plant is planted, you will have to check it regularly for water needs.
Evergreens are different in their water needs in that they can be drowned easily. Evergreens do not show signs of water problems like a deciduous plant. That is why it is important to watch them for watering needs. Once an evergreen shows signs of drowning or drying out, it is usually too late to save them. The one sure way to know if the watering amount is sufficient, is to actually dig down beside the root ball and look at the soil. The soil should be moist but never a muddy or soggy type of wet.
Plants should also be checked for any signs of insects or disease and treated immediately. All trees should be checked once a month for signs of Bores. Any small holes and possible sap draining from them in the main trunk of the tree are signs of bore infestation. Trees must be treated immediately or they will die. A 2” to 3” layer of mulch should be kept around all trees and shrubs to help prevent moisture loss and to keep weeds away from them. If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at (636) 327-6000 x2.
Below are great sources that provide wealth of information about plant care, growth, disease prevention, soil chemistry and garden tips. World Outdoor Emporium is a proud member of Missouri Landscape and Nursery Association and Western Nursery and Landscape Association, who also provide a great deal of information about the care and keeping of your garden plants.
The Missouri Botanical Garden
Greenleaf Nursery
Monrovia
University of Missouri