Perennial Planting Instructions
The following planting guidelines will help your new perennials get the best start possible. These steps are vital to your plant’s success.
Soil Mix
When planting, the hole should be prepared with a good soil mixture. 2/3 of the mix should be good topsoil or garden mix, the other 1/3 should include organic matter. Compost and Sea Soil are good choices for organic matter and are available in bags.
Planting
Prepare the hole two times the width and depth of the pot. Fill the bottom of the hole with good loamy, black soil (or Sea Soil) so the top of the root ball will be at the same grade (level) as the existing soil. Score the root ball with a sharp blade or ‘tickle’ the root ball with your fingers to encourage outward root growth. Set the plant into the hole and fill the rest of the hole with soil and gently tamp in.
Fertilizer
Starter fertilizers such as Rapidgrow 10-52-10 or Pro Mix Root Booster 5-15-5 should be used at time of planting, then approximately every 2-4 weeks until fall. The middle number in these plant foods represents phosphorus, the nutrient that encourages good root growth. Dilute the plant food according to the directions, then pour over the wet root ball once the plant has been placed in the hole.