Your newly planted trees, shrubs, and perennials need plenty of attention to become a healthy part of your landscaping plan. New purchases from your local nursery and transplanted items from your yard require proper planting, water, and fertilizer as they acclimate to new surroundings.
Spring can be a great time to put new plants in the ground or split perennials to create additional thriving plants in your yard. Keep the following tips in mind, however, to achieve success for all your trees, shrubs, and perennials.
Trees should be planted during dormant season.
That being said, if you have planted a tree this spring, care and attention will be the same. Even trees that were planted after leaves dropped in the fall will need extra TLC to thrive.
Keep trees well-watered, paying special attention to where the root system will spread as the root ball grows. Roots will eventually be equal in diameter to the canopy.
Keep a couple of inches of mulch over the root system but not against the trunk. Loosen compacted mulch frequently to encourage drainage.
If you have used a stake to give a young tree support, check it frequently as the tree grows to ensure the tree can sway in the wind without rubbing on the stake or tie.
Consult your local tree expert about proper pruning for your tree.
Shrubs may not need fertilizer right away.
In general, shrubs become bushy and full of blooms if they are well-fed, but if you have just planted a shrub you may want to wait on the fertilizer schedule.
Like trees, newly planted shrubs should be well watered at planting and kept moist for the first few weeks. In fact, daily watering the first couple of weeks is best to ensure the root system never dries out during these early weeks.
Mulch will help keep the soil moist and prevent weeds from encroaching on your growing shrub but take care to not pile it up at the shrub’s base, which can cause rot.
Discuss a feeding schedule with your local landscaping expert. Shrubs will benefit from a good fertilizer, but feeding is often skipped during the first season to encourage strong root growth rather than the shrub putting out new growth.
Avoid pruning shrubs the first season, as their growth will be limited while energy is spent on the root system.
Flowering perennials are best split in the fall.
By fall, your flowering perennials will be done blooming and ready for dividing and transplanting. The dormant winter months are ideal for these plants to become acclimated to new surroundings and ready to thrive the following spring. If you have perennials you split and moved this spring, however, don’t worry! They may be thin on blooms this season, but they will come back strong with some attention.
Keep them watered to encourage roots to settle firmly in new soil.
Trim the plant back by one-third and consider removing visible buds so the plant’s energy is focused on the root system.
Consider a deer cage to protect your small transplants from hungry deer that will likely nibble even at “deer-resistant” plants.
Transplant shock is real.
Plants that are experiencing transplant shock – in which the roots struggle to acclimate – will usually present wilted leaves that may wither and fall off. While serious cases can kill a tree, shrub, or perennial, transplant shock is generally not fatal.
Consider the following tips to limit and treat transplant shock:
Choose a new location that provides ideal growing conditions for the plant to be moved. Shade-loving plants may thrive in an area that gets some morning sun but will likely struggle in hot afternoon sun.
Try not to expose the roots when transplanting. Keep an intact root ball fully covered with dirt to place in the new location.
Add some organic material to the hole, water thoroughly after transplanting, and keep the plant well-watered while ensuring the soil drains well and the plant is not sitting in water.
Plants that appear wilted may be watered with a weak sugar/water solution.
Trim the plant back by no more than one-third to route energy to the roots.
Consider a screen to protect the plant during the hottest part of the day.
Be patient! Many plants will experience some shock but will begin to recover in just a few days.
If you have questions about planting or transplanting landscaping around your home, contact our team of experts at T2 Design. We are happy to help with all your landscaping needs.