Six things to do when putting out your tubestock plants
Posted by John Zeaiter on
Last week we touched on the correct way to handle your quality tube stock plants when they arrive from Evergreen Growers.
This week we'd like to go into more detail about the planting out part of the process: a vital part of ensuring that your tube stock plants grow healthily and strong.
As our Garden Guide points out, care needs to be taken when planting out seedlings. Plant out on a cool, cloudy day if possible to reduce the risk of stress on the tube stock plant. Then follow the tips below to maximise chances of success.
1. Find the ideal location Check the tube stock plant's likes and dislikes to find its ideal location in your garden. If it doesn't like frost or wet feet you'll need to select the appropriate spot in the garden where these factors are minimised. Similarly find out how much sun it likes and whether it is suited to a windy location. It may pay to do the research first, a good start is the Evergreen Growers' information page for each plant (see Gazania Kiss Rose info as example).
2. Line up the tube stock plants Check how the tube stock plant looks in the position where it will go. Stand back and try to imagine how it will look fully grown. This is especially important for hedges to get a good idea of spacing and size as well as how they will impact on your garden.
3. Dig the right-sized hole Dig a hole about the height and width of an average spade (20cm x 15cm). Keep any mulch out of the hole, leave the bottom of the hole undisturbed.
4. Plant carefully Ensure that the tube stock is planted at the correct depth. See our guide below for details.
<5. Backfill the hole Take care to break up larger lumps of earth to prevent air pockets forming around the roots. Create a shallow well around each plant to form a water catchment. Move any mulch away and add on top of the earth after the hole has been filled in. However make sure the mulch is a few centimetres away from the collar of the plant to reduce the chance of root rot.
6. Water in Gently water in your new tube stock plant, let the water tamp down the earth rather than stamping it down with your feet.
Follow this advice and you increase the chances of your tube stock plants growing into happy, healthy trees, shrubs and flowers. Don't forget, you can always ask us questions on tube stock plants and how to plant them (see our contact page for details) or through our Facebook page.