How not to be a plant killer

A common fear I hear from customers is that of killing plants. Sure. Makes sense. Quality plants aren't cheap and to lose something that costs a small fraction of your paycheck hurts both the psyche and the wallet. Reduce your risk considerably by following a few basic steps.

Soil/Nutrients:
Buy a soil test kit, follow the directions, amend the area accordingly if need be.

Light:
Take note of the sun and its location in relation to your new plant(s). Generally plants requiring full sun need about 6 hours of direct light per day. The most intense light is around noon on. Earlier light is less intense and could be considered part-sun.

Water:

Soaker Hoses run under the mulch in this Delran 'scape

The biggest killer is lack of water. Make sure you can water things on a regular basis. Allowing water to slowly permeate the surface is best to prevent run off. Set a hose to trickle for an hour at the base of new plantings to really soak deeply. For larger areas, consider a soaker hose.

Texture and subtle color

Just did a driveway planting using Belgian Block as an edging. The plants used were Dwarf Globe Blue Spruce (Picea punges 'Globosa Nana') as a stand alone specimen, Cotoneaster 'Tom Thumb' clustered underneath an existing Flowering Dogwood, and Pieris 'Scarlet O'hara'. It's all tied together with colorized black mulch. Very clean looking for those customers who want low maintenance. 

Spring 2010

FYI, we're open... kinda. This time of year is always fickle with weather. A few warm days and people are stopping in. Then the cold, rain, or snow returns and they're back to hibernating.

In the mean time, take stock of your landscape. Roughly sketch your home and property. No need to be specific or detailed. Write down your landscape thoughts and goals, too. Ready to block out your neighbors with a privacy screen? Did something get damaged from the recent heavy snow and you're not sure if it's going to come back? Maybe it's time for that Evening Garden you thought would be so nice to relax in.

Save everything in a manila folder. This is now your landscape journal. It's important to have. Keep track of your plants, tags, ideas, and thoughts. A journal will also serve you well when it's time to talk to a professional.

As you can see, mine is a 9 x 12" sketchbook. I'm usually pasting interesting landscape scenarios from magazines and sketching plants during downtime. I'm not concerned with looks so much as I'm just keeping track of ideas.

Good luck and I'll see you soon at the nursery.

Dan