Planting Tips For Spring

Published: Wed, 30 Mar 2011 19:16:45

By: CL Fornari

Green Thumbs UP For Watering After You've Put Plants In The Ground...even if rain is forecast!

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How many times have you gotten that seedling, newly purchased perennial, or just-transplanted shrub in the ground, and then thought to yourself, I don’t have to water…it’s supposed to rain tonight.

Yes, we’ve all done it, but it’s so hard on the plants! It’s far wiser to take that extra few minutes to drag out the hose or the watering can. This small effort may mean life or death for the plant you’ve just put into the ground.

When we place a plant in the soil the roots are always disturbed to some degree, and the planting area has been churned up as well. Because of the disruption of our digging, pockets of air are left around the plant’s roots, and such air spaces cause the roots to dry more quickly than those on an established plant. Watering settles the soil and the plant, forces out extra air, and moistens the roots.

Let’s face it… weather forecasts are notoriously inaccurate. If it ends up raining after all, your plants will be doubly blessed, and if Mother Nature doesn’t come through, the new additions to your yard or garden will still be well hydrated…and alive.