Plant Tips & Facts

You have determined that you have clay soil, now what? Clay soil can cause a number of problems. On the positive side, clay isn’t necessarily all bad. It has good moisture and nutrition retention, but the same “good” moisture retention can also be a problem. Clay soil drains slowly. So, as snow melts and rains set in, clay soil tends to remain saturated long after average or sandy soils have drained. It is also much slower to warm up in the spring. Clay compacts easily making it hard for the roots to penetrate, resulting in stunted root systems. With clay soil, there are often problems with frost heave and root damage as the soil freezes and thaws during changing weather. More often than not, clay soil is alkaline (has a high pH) and that can be hard on plants too. And worst of all, the stuff is heavy, sticky and hard to work!

Clay needs extra preparation to help plants grow. The first step is to pick plants that are suited for clay soils. Ask a Turnbull Garden Center Associate what plants will work best for you.

Once plants have been selected, now it is time to prepare your soil. Never work clay soil when it is soggy or bone dry. If the soil is too wet, it will pack into hard clods. If it is bone dry, it will shatter into dust which will turn into mud, then brick. Bone dry soil should be watered with at least an inch of water, then allowed to soak in for 24 hours. Test the soil by squeezing a handful into a lump, then push your thumb into the lump. If it dents like modeling clay, it is too wet. If it crumbles, then it is perfect to work.

Always dig a hole three to five times as wide as the root system or root ball on the plant and about the same depth as the root system or root ball. Digging a deep hole usually causes the plant to settle too deep which leads to crown rot disease. Avoid digging a hole with smooth sides which encourage roots to circle the hole. Chop the sides with the point of the shovel to create slots which force roots to grow into the surrounding soil. Pour a couple of inches of potting soil or planting compost and sand into the hole. Chop it into the bottom so the potting soil and existing soil are mixed. Pour more potting soil or compost onto the pile of soil. Mix it together so it is about 1/4 potting soil or compost and 3/4 existing soil. The potting soil or compost will improve both aeration and drainage.

It is better to improve the existing soil with compost or potting soil than to replace it with potting soil. Rich soil will absorb water quickly, but it can’t drain away through heavy clay soil. The rich soil will usually be even wetter than heavy clay and root rot is likely. When you improve existing soil, it is easier for water and roots to move from the improved soil to the existing soil. The only exception is if you hit blue clay. Roots will not grow in blue clay because there is no oxygen in it. Replace blue clay with sandy topsoil mixed with the top layer of soil.

The best and easiest time to improve soil is to do an entire area at once, such as when planting a new lawn or landscape. The amendments should be spread evenly over the area and worked into the soil at least ten inches deep. A spade or spading fork works best for small areas. A rotor-tiller handles large areas. For existing beds, the soil can be improved every time something is planted.

Place the plant in the hole and adjust its height so the crown of the plant, the line between the stem and the root, is 3 to 6 inches higher than the original ground level. Shovel the mixed soil from the pile into the hole and use the shovel blade to cut the soil into the hole. This breaks up the big chunks and works the soil down so there are no large air pockets. If there is burlap or twine around the trunk, loosen it so there is at least an inch of room to grow. Completely remove any plastic twine around the trunk.

Level the soil off so the soil is at the crown of the plant. Avoid burying the stem or low branches. You can build up a ridge around the plant to hold water while it soaks in. During wet weather, level the ridge so water doesn’t stand around the plant. Watch out that the plant doesn’t settle and create a puddle at the base of the plant. That would encourage crown rot disease.

When you water, give it enough water each time so it wets the entire ball of soil in the hole. It is best to do this slowly with the hose on a slow trickle. Then let the surface dry out between watering. During hot weather planting, you may need to water every day, but it is important to let the soil surface dry out between watering so soil disease don’t become a problem. After a couple of weeks the plant should need watering less often as the root system grows wider. Always check the moisture content of the surrounding soil before watering. The most common cause of death to a newly planted tree is over-watering! All trees and shrubs perform best with a regular fertilization schedule, beginning in early spring. It is generally best to stop fertilizing in August so that the plant has time to slow down and harden off before winter.

Drainage and aeration is improved by soil amendments, but there must be some place for the water to go. Yards should be graded so surface water drains off. In mostly flat yards or low areas, subsurface drainage will have to be provided. Perforated plastic drainpipe can be buried at least a foot deep. It is important that drainpipes slope evenly so dirt doesn’t clog up the low spots.

Remove the plant from its container. If the roots are tightly packed or circling around the bottom of the root ball, use a knife or your fingers to free them. Don’t worry; you won’t hurt the plant! In fact, you’re helping the plant! This stops the roots from spiraling around and eventually strangling the plant.

Dig a hole at least twice as big as the container size. Loosen the dirt on the sides and bottom. (For clay soils following direction as previously explained.) Set the plant in the hole, making sure that it is straight. Add some backfill around the roots and then water to help the soil settle quickly. Keep alternating soil and water until the backfill is even with the surrounding soil. Rake the soil level around the planting site. Cover it with 2-4″ of mulch. Water the newly planted tree or shrub well, then water as needed.

PLANTING PLANTS FROM BIODEGRADABLE POTS
Follow the same steps for plants in a plastic container, but don’t take the plant out of a biodegradable container. The pot will slowly break down just like natural burlap. After digging the hole and preparing the soil, tear or break off the rim of the biodegradable pot. Make sure there is no piece of the pot sticking above the soil surface.

There is nothing more important than water to the life of your new trees or shrubs. You do not want to keep the soil totally saturated; however, never allow it to completely dry out, especially during the hot, dry periods. Many plants are known as drought tolerant. And they are drought tolerant, but only after they are established. Most trees and shrubs require at least one growing season to become established; many taking as long as three years.

After the plant is established, you should only water plants when they need it. If the plant is drought tolerant, like Yucca, it could go weeks without water. If the plant is moisture loving, like Clethra, it needs about one inch of water per week. This does not mean you have to give it one inch of water each week. If it rains, you won’t have to apply as much water.

If you are using an overhead watering system, be sure not to water during the hot, sunny day. This may cause the leaves of the plant to scald. It is best to do it in the late evening. This way the water will have plenty of time to penetrate the soil before the sun starts to dry it out again. If using a garden hose at the base of a plant, be sure to run the water in a slow trickle so that it penetrates the soil. If the water is coming out too fast, the water will run off and the not penetrate the ground where it is needed most, at the roots.

During the first year, newly planted tree and shrubs will not need any fertilizer. Begin to fertilize regularly during the second year. Yearly feedings encourage the growth and flowering of trees and shrubs. Plants need fertilizer like we need food. The nutrients promote strong, sturdy root growth. Vigorously growing plants are more resistant to insect and disease attacks than weak plants with little new growth. Your choice of fertilizer, timing and application method will also affect the plant’s development.

Fertilizer labels contain three numbers that express the relative amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. A fertilizer containing all three elements is referred to as a complete fertilizer. Complete fertilizers can be grouped into categories according to the relative percentage of nitrogen to phosphorus: high-nitrogen or high-phosphorus types.

High-nitrogen fertilizers (i.e. Schultz Azalea, Camellia, Rhododendron 33-11-11) promote dark green color, lush full foliage and stem growth. These types of fertilizer are applied around evergreens, shade trees and other plants grown for their foliage. High-phosphorus fertilizers (Schultz All-purpose Plant Food 20-30-20) have less nitrogen and more phosphorus which promotes flower, fruit and root production. These fertilizers are used more for flowering trees and shrubs or those with ornamental berries or fruits. Feed established plants when they are actively growing. For most tree and shrubs this is during the early spring and mid summer. The best time to fertilize is in early spring before the first flush of new growth. Do not fertilize plants in late summer or early fall. Fertilizing could stimulate new growth, which may not be able to harden off before winter. Please follow all directions on the fertilizer package and use accordingly.

Protecting Plants Plants some time need protection, whether it be from deer, rabbits or from the winter weather. Here are some general guidelines to follow.

Everyone loves Bambi…until the cute little creature decides to dine on your favorite plant in your backyard. Deer are a major nuisance in some areas and they are not easy to control. You can buy repellents to spray on plants or apply to the ground, but some deer seem to ignore them. Fences can be used to keep out deer, but they may not be in your budget. A hungry deer will probably eat almost any kind of plant. But they do have some preferences. If all your deer-proofing attempts have failed, perhaps you should try planting some of Bambi’ least favorite foods like: barberry, boxwood, lilac, magnolia, spirea or spruce. Stay away from: arborvitae, apples, cherry, plum, yews & rhododendron.

Rabbit, Mice or Squirrel Protection The tender bark at the base of a fruit tree and other young trees may become winter fare for mice, rabbits and squirrels. Protect this area by placing specialized tree guards or a 2-3′ high small meshed fence around the base of the trunk.

Have you ever planted a tree or shrub in spring, then nurtured the plant all summer and fall, only to have it die during the winter? It’s very frustrating and discouraging. Why not protect your investment from the harsh winter elements? You can do it, and with very little time or effort. Here are a few guidelines to ensure your plants both new and old, survive winter.

Winter protection should begin before a plant is placed in the ground. Be sure to select plants that can tolerate our winter temperatures. Western New York is a Zone 4 or 5, depending on how close you are to Lake Erie. This means that temperatures in our area can get as low as -30 F in land and -20 F near the lake. Our weather is quite harsh! Always choose plants that are hardy for our zone so that you are one step closer to surviving the winter.

You also want to select the species or variety appropriate for the area around your home; it’s critical to the plant’s survival. For example, use only shade tolerant plants in shady areas and drought tolerant plants in dry areas. You will also want to chose hardy varieties for valleys and other low-lying areas that form basins that trap cold air. Proper care also has a factor in the plants survival. Plants that are correctly planted, watered and fertilized are better able to withstand the effects of winter. Trees and shrubs begin to prepare for winter in mid-summer by slowing their growth rate and by hardening off their stems. So do your pruning and fertilizing before late July. Any later and your efforts will only stimulate new growth that won’t have time to harden off before winter.

Many plants, no matter how well they are cared for, require some type of winter protection. Evergreens, especially broadleaf evergreens like rhododendrons, keep their leaves or needles all year. But the sun and wind draw water from the foliage. Plants that face north or west are susceptible to wind damage. Plants facing south or east are susceptible to sun damage. Plants can’t replace this water when the ground is frozen and so dry, brown areas (scorch) develop on the leaves.

You can reduce water loss by making sure plants are well watered through the fall. Apply water when necessary during the winter thaws to help prevent scorch. Burlap screens protect sensitive plants from sun and wind. You can also reduce water loss with an anti-desiccant such as Wilt-Pruf. It forms a waxy coating when sprayed over the leaf surface.

The thin, young bark of newly planted trees is very sensitive. Winter sun can burn the exposed bark, a problem called sun scald. Trees may also suffer frost cracks. The bark of the tree trunk, especially if facing south, splits from the rapid heating and cooling that often occurs on sunny winter days. Prevent both sun scald and frost cracks by wrapping the tree trunk with a paper tree wrap.