For example, if you want shade in your yard, you might pick out a honey locust or willow oak. Crabapples and Japanese maples look beautiful and provide colorful leaves or blooms. Check the tree’s Zone to see whether it’s suitable for your specific climate.
You can buy annuals in cells or individualized pots. Ask an employee at a garden store which annuals grow best in your specific climate.
Try choosing a perennials in pastel colors, or picking out 1 or 2 main shades to work with. The lifetime of each different type of perennial will differ—some may live for 4 years while another lives for 20.
Planting large trees farther away from your house will prevent them from damaging your home if they happen to fall.
The tag that came with your plant should tell you how tall your flowers will grow to be. Try to get the largest, most mature plant you can afford to make planting easiest.
Keep in mind that flowers on an island bed will be seen from all sides, not just one.
You want soil that has a little bit of all three conditions, making it loamy. Different plants will like different types of soil, so decide what trees, shrubs, or flowers you’ll be planting before determining how to fix up your soil.
You can purchase better soil at a garden store or online that’s nutrient-rich and well-draining. You can either replace your old soil with the new soil, or mix the new soil in with the old so that your garden adjusts more easily.
If you made your compost, go online to find out how much to use for the specific type of plant you’re hoping to plant in the soil. How you’re using the compost will determine in which way you should deposit it—if you want it mixed in with your soil, simply transfer a couple shovelfuls of the compost into the dug hole and mix it around with regular soil. If you’re using it for mulching, spread it on top of the soil like you would a mulch.
The hole should be twice the size in width, not necessarily in depth. Make sure you’re digging as deep as the root system so that when the plant is placed in the hole it’s at the same level as when it was in a container.
Placing the stakes before you plant the tree or other tall plant will prevent you from damaging the roots as you pound the stake into the ground.
Always avoid pulling a plant out of a container by pulling on its stem. Don’t expose the roots until you’re ready to put the plant into the soil. You don’t need to remove burlap from the plant—just loosen the top a bit so that the plant is able to expand.
If you place the plant in the hole and find out that the hole isn’t deep enough, remove the plant and deepen/widen the hole so that it’s the right size. You can also remove the plant and add soil to the bottom of the hole if it’s too deep.
You can also add some nutrient-rich soil if your soil isn’t super healthy for the plants.
Water the plant slowly, checking to see if the soil is still soaking up the water to know how much water to pour. If the soil remains damp after watering, you’ve given the plant enough. There isn’t a specific amount that you should water all plants—how much water a plant needs will depend on factors like the specific type of plant, your climate, and whether it’s in the sun. Research the specific plant you’re watering for information on water needs, or simply feel the soil to see when it’s dry.
Apply the mulch in mid-spring as the soil warms up. You can reapply the mulch in the summer to help keep moisture in the soil, as well as right before winter to help protect the soil from the cold. Tiny plants or seedlings might have a hard time growing through mulch, so if you apply it, use a thin layer.
Keep newly-transplanted plants especially hydrated for the first few weeks.
You can find fertilizers at your local garden store or online. Do some research about your specific plant type to find the perfect fertilizer to use.
You can buy stones for walkways at a home improvement store or online.
If the leaves have withered and browned or the petals have shrunken up and turned a darker color, it’s time to prune the dead parts off.
