GENERAL PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS FROM

CONIFER RIDGE BOTANICAL GARDENS

INDIVIDUAL PLANTING OF A SINGLE PLANT:  MAKE THE HOLE TWICE AS WIDE AS THE ROOTBALL AND TEAR UP THE BOTTOM OF THE HOLE TO ALLOW FOR DRAINAGE.  MOST CONIFERS, ETC. SHOULD BE PLANTED ABOUT 2-4” HIGH- SEE DIAGRAM # 1.  RHODODENDRON, AZALEA, AGARISTA, PIERIS, AUCUBA, AND ANY OTHER ERICICACEOUS PLANT SHOULD BE PLANTED 1/3 ABOVE GROUND- SEE DIAGRAM  # 2.

 IN CLAY SOILS DO NOT ADD ANY PEAT MOSS.  AND DO NOT MIX INTO SOIL PROFILE ANY HARDWOOD BARK MULCHING MATERIALS.  HARDWOOD BARK UTILIZES A HIGH AMOUNT OF NITROGEN AND THE DECOMPOSITIONING OF HARDWOOD BARK ACTUALLY PULLS NITROGEN FROM THE PLANT ROOTBALL, THEREFORE DEPRIVING THE PLANT OF MUCH NEEDED NUTRIENTS.  HARDWOOD BARK CAN BE USED AS MULCH ONLY AFTER IT HAS DECOMPOSED 12 MONTHS OR TREATED WITH SOME FORM OF NITROGEN TO AID IN ITS BREAKDOWN.  WE RECOMMEND A 4 –5 “ LAYER OF PINE STRAW OR 2” PINE BARK MULCH.

 AT CONIFER RIDGE WE RECOMMEND EITHER A GOOD QUALITY ORGANIC LEAF MOLD OR DECOMPOSING PINE BARK AS A SOIL CONDITIONER.  PINE BARK WILL NOT ATTRACT NITROGEN.  IT SHOULD BE RELATIVELY FINE IN TEXTURE AND “TURNED IN” WITH A SHOVEL OR PREFERABLY TURNED WITH A TILLER TO MAKE A HOMOGENOUS MIX.  WE ARE LOOKING FOR APPROXIMATELY 20% OR BETTER OF PINE BARK MIXED INTO THE SOIL PROFILE PRIOR TO PLANTING.  THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF EXCELLENT QUALITY SOIL CONDITIONERS OUT IN THE MARKET.  JUST MAKE SURE THEY DO NOT CONTAIN CELLULOSE OR HARDWOOD BARK.  TRUST US.  WE HAVE BEEN THERE AND YOU DO NOT NEED YOUR PLANTINGS TO SUFFER.  ONCE THE SOIL IS THROUGHLY MIXED WITH THE SOIL CONDITIONER, REMOVE THE PLANT FROM THE CONTAINER.  IT IS BEST TO BREAK UP THE ROOTBALL SO THE NEW ROOTS CAN EASILY PENETRATE THE NEW PLANTING MIX.  IF THE PLANT IS ROOT BOUND (FAIRLY SOLID) HARD ROOT BALL YOU CAN TAKE A SHOVEL OR SPADE AND CUT DOWN VERTICALLY ON THE SIDES AND OPEN UP THE ROOTBALL.  DO NOT DESTROY THE ROOTBALL JUST BREAK IT UP ENOUGH TO BE PLANTED.  SET THE ROOTBALL WITH THE BEST SIDE OF THE PLANT TOWARDS THE VIEWING AREA AND BACK FILL WITH THE NEW MEDIA (AMENDED SOIL) UP TO THE VERY EDGE OF THE ROOTBALL.  IT DOES NOT HELP TO PUT SOIL ON TOP OF THE ROOTBALL AS IT MAY CUT OFF SOME OF THE AVAILABLE OXYGEN.  ROOTS HAVE TO HAVE OXYGEN!

PACK THE SOIL FIRMLY WITH YOUR FOOT ON THE SIDE TO GET OUT SOME OF THE EXCESS AIR SPACE AND IF NEEDED PLACE A “WATER RING” OF SOIL TO HOLD WATER IN AFTER YOU APPLY.  WATER IN THOROUGHLY AND WAIT UNTIL IT BECOMES SOMEWHAT DRY TO WATER AGAIN.  WHEN YOU WATER- WATER HEAVY AND ON SCHEDULE UNLESS YOU HAVE GOOD PRECIPITATION.  WE RECOMMEND YOU WATER HEAVILY AND NOT TOO OFTEN.  DEPENDING ON THE SEASON 1-3 TIMES DURING THE FALL/ MONTH AND ONCE A WEEK DURING THE GROWING SEASON UNTIL ESTABLISHED.

  AS AN ADDITIVE WE RECOMMEND YOU MIX IN APPROXIMATELY 10 LBS. OF DOLOMITIC LIME/ 1000 SQUARE FEET, EITHER PELLET OR POWDER AND ALSO 8 LBS OF 0-45-0 (SUPER PHOSPHATE) PER 1000 SQUARE FEET.  YOU CAN ADD THE N-P-K OVER THE TOP OF THE MULCH TO ACTUALLY FERTILIZE THE PLANT NOW OR AT A MORE SUITABLE TIME I.E. SPRING.  ON FERTILIZERS WE RECOMMEND A RATIO OF APPROX. 5-10-10 OR SIMULAR.   SLOW RELEASE FERTILIZERS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE HOWEVER THEY USUALLY FEED THE PLANT(S) OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME INSTEAD OF DROPPING ALL THE CONTENTS AT ONCE AS IN FIELD GRADE FERTILIZERS.  WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE SLOW RELEASE!!!  IT IS DEFINATELY WORTH THE EXTRA MONEY.  SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO USED FIELD GRADE FERTILIZERS YOU WILL NEED TO GREATLY REDUCE THE DOSAGE AND ALSO INCREASE THE # OF APPLICATIONS.   THE FIRST # IS THE % OF NITROGEN IN THE BAG, THE SECOND # IS THE % OF PHOSPHORUS IN THE BAG AND THE 3^RD # IS THE % OF POTASSIUM IN THE BAG.  IT IS ALSO BEST TO USE A COMPLETE FERTILIZER WITH MINORS (MINOR ELEMENTS), I.E. IRON, COPPER, BORON, MAGNESIUM, MANGANESE, ETC.  THESE ELEMENTS ARE NEEDED ANNUALLY IN TINY PERCENTAGES AND ARE BEST APPLIED WITH THE N-P-K FERTILIZER.

CONCERNING LIMING: WE RECOMMEND YOU LIME YOUR PLANT BEDS EVERY 3-4 YEARS AND IN THE BEGINNING TO INCREASE THE Ph AS WELL AS GIVE THE SOIL A MUCH NEEDED BOOST OF MAGNESIUM.  AVOID THIS TREATMENT ON DIANTHUS. 

 DO NOT APPLY BLACK PLASTIC TO THE BEDS TO CONTROL WEEDS.  IT DOES NOT WORK.  THERE ARE GRANULAR PRE-EMERGENT HERBIDICED YOU CAN APPLY TO CONTROL WEEDS.  READ ALL DIRECTIONS TO MAKE SURE YOUR PLANT WILL NOT BE DAMAGED AND WHAT TYPES OF WEEDS YOU ARE LOOKING TO CONTROL.  GO ONLY BY THE DIRECTIONS!

DIAGRAM # 1                                                                                              DIAGRAM # 2

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