Whether you have grown your plants from seeds or purchased them from the shop, if you do not plant them correctly and in the environment that they require, they may not flourish into the beautiful flowers you had hoped. Saying this, planting your flowers is very simple when you know what you are doing, following this simple guide will help you along the way.
If you are buying your plants, rather than planting flowers you have grown yourself, carefully select the healthiest and stockiest plants when you are in the shop. Here are some things to look out for:
• Make sure there are no pests on the plant
• Make sure it doesn’t have yellow leaves or that it doesn’t look wilted.
• Ensure that you are able to plant the flower in the conditions that it requires.
Start planting your flowers on a day with the ideal weather conditions, the best time to plant your flowers is on a dry and cool day, if it is overcast or there is rain forecast even better, this will water your plants in for you. Avoid planting flowers on very hot and dry days.
When you are planting your flower, choose the best location for it based on the requirement of the plant, for example if the flower needs sun, do not plant it at the base of the tree. Avoid planting it where you think it will look prettiest, it won’t flower and look pretty if it isn’t given the right conditions. When you have chosen where you wish to plant your flower, loosen and prepare the soil, create a space for the roots and plant to go, which should be about double the size of the pot the flower came in. You can add fertiliser to the soil if you wish, but if the plant is shop bought check to make sure this is no fertiliser already in the soil. Too much fertiliser can cause more harm than good.
Tap and knock the plant out of its pot, try to keep as much of the root and surrounding soils as much as possible. If the roots are very intertwined with one another, run your fingers through them slightly to spread the roots back out so they grow outwards when they have been planted. If your plant already has flowers on it, consider removing them. This will give the plant more energy to develop good roots rather than using its energy to flower, furthermore, it will re-flower later.
Put the plant in the hole you have made, and fill in a layer of compost, add enough water to dampen the soil and let this water drain away. Repeat this process, layer by layer, until the flower is fully planted into the garden, the soil should be at the natural soil level of the area it sits in. When you are planting the flower ensure you press down the compost around the root ball so that the plant sits securely in the soil and isn’t loose, gently pull at the flower to ensure it is secure, add more soil if you need to. To finish up the planting process, water your plant once more.
To ensure your plant grows well water it regularly, every 3-4 days should suffice but check the soil, if it seems dry it could probably do with watering. Be cautious not to over water your plant, however, as this may drown and either damage or kill the plants roots. If the weather is wetter than is typical and your concerned the plant is getting too wet, cover it up.
