Wanted: Plant Donations!
The Arboretum is encouraging its members to donate plants to the Plant Sale. Not only is it a way to tidy up your garden in the fall, but it also gives you a chance to share with other gardeners. Most important, your donations boost the Arboretum's profits.
Longtime Arboretum member Nick Zabawsky provided this terrific guide to potting up plants for our Spring 2012 Newsletter.
Potting Up Plants for the Plant Sale
- Nick Zabawsky
It is important to have attractive, healthy looking plants for the sale. With that in mind, here are a few pointers:
Start Ahead of Time
Plants go into transplant shock when they are dug up and potted. Most plants need 2 to 4 weeks to recover, so plan accordingly. I start potting up plants 4 weeks before a plant sale.
Pamper Plants after Potting Up
The transplanting process does major damage to root systems, and plants can't take direct sun. For the first ten days after potting up plants, keep them in shade and water regularly. I also mist the plants with a garden sprayer on a daily basis for the first few days to prevent dehydration. After ten days, gradually move the sun loving plants out into the sun to harden them off. Of course, keep the shade lovers in the shade.
Provide Good Drainage
One of the quickest ways to kill a newly potted plant is to overwater and drown it. Use pots with holes in the bottom to provide drainage and line the bottom of the pot with small stones, gravel, bark chips or some other coarse material that will insure quick drainage from the bottom of the pot. Use soil that drains well-not heavy clay. Professional potting mix will produce the best results.
I like the mix that is sold as "moisture control potting mix" as it allows longer time between waterings, and it also reduces the likelihood of drowning the roots. For plants that prefer heavier soils, I mix topsoil in with the potting mix.
Use the Right Size Pot
Don't try to jam a plant into an undersized pot, and don't put a tiny plant into a large pot. Both situations not only look unattractive, but the plant will not thrive in such conditions.
Don't Fertilize
Adding fertilizer over the long haul is a good idea, but not when potting up. High nitrogen fertilizer promotes top growth, when what is needed is root establishment.
Prune and Primp
Just before the plant sale, remove dead or damaged foliage. Level up and top off the soil if necessary. For many plants with lots of foliage, remove some leaves to reduce transplant shock and provide a more balanced, healthy looking plant.
Longtime Arboretum member Nick Zabawsky provided this terrific guide to potting up plants for our Spring 2012 Newsletter.
Potting Up Plants for the Plant Sale
- Nick Zabawsky
It is important to have attractive, healthy looking plants for the sale. With that in mind, here are a few pointers:
Start Ahead of Time
Plants go into transplant shock when they are dug up and potted. Most plants need 2 to 4 weeks to recover, so plan accordingly. I start potting up plants 4 weeks before a plant sale.
Pamper Plants after Potting Up
The transplanting process does major damage to root systems, and plants can't take direct sun. For the first ten days after potting up plants, keep them in shade and water regularly. I also mist the plants with a garden sprayer on a daily basis for the first few days to prevent dehydration. After ten days, gradually move the sun loving plants out into the sun to harden them off. Of course, keep the shade lovers in the shade.
Provide Good Drainage
One of the quickest ways to kill a newly potted plant is to overwater and drown it. Use pots with holes in the bottom to provide drainage and line the bottom of the pot with small stones, gravel, bark chips or some other coarse material that will insure quick drainage from the bottom of the pot. Use soil that drains well-not heavy clay. Professional potting mix will produce the best results.
I like the mix that is sold as "moisture control potting mix" as it allows longer time between waterings, and it also reduces the likelihood of drowning the roots. For plants that prefer heavier soils, I mix topsoil in with the potting mix.
Use the Right Size Pot
Don't try to jam a plant into an undersized pot, and don't put a tiny plant into a large pot. Both situations not only look unattractive, but the plant will not thrive in such conditions.
Don't Fertilize
Adding fertilizer over the long haul is a good idea, but not when potting up. High nitrogen fertilizer promotes top growth, when what is needed is root establishment.
Prune and Primp
Just before the plant sale, remove dead or damaged foliage. Level up and top off the soil if necessary. For many plants with lots of foliage, remove some leaves to reduce transplant shock and provide a more balanced, healthy looking plant.