Survival of the Fittest for New Transplants

The nutrients in your soil can directly affect the life of any new transplants. First, it is important to understand the type of nutrients that your plant thrives in. Then, to provide a perfect environment for new root systems, conduct a soil test. After completion of a soil test add nutrients to the soil where needed with natural or synthetic resources.

Primary nutrients needed for a plant to thrive are;

• Nitrogen (N) – needed for growth of leaves and stem systems.
• Potassium (K) – makes plant tissues stronger allowing for new growth and blooming while unlocking nutrients from within the plant.
• Phosphorus (P) – important for fruit and seed reproduction enabling a plant to survive in harsh conditions.
• Magnesium (MG) – creates chlorophyll, chlorophyll is what makes you plants green. Lack of chlorophyll can lead to yellowing of veins and edges on leaves.

Creating a healthy environment for your plants can come as simply as digging the hole, setting the plant and filling it in when you have healthy soil with lots of organic matter. Providing your plant with necessary nutrients when your soils are not rich in organic matter can raise an eyebrow. Be sure to add only the necessary ingredients. Like our body we can add too many nutrients also causing adverse effects. Frequent soil testing can help measure nutrients until you find a consistent blend suitable for the type of plants in your garden.

Take the guess work out of planting with these friendly tips.

• Large plants and shrubs need room to grow. Root systems for large plants and shrubs grow deep and wide when healthy.
• Shrubs with roots wrapped in burlap dig your hole the same depth as wrap and two times as wide as the wrapped roots. Wait until your shrub is set to remove the burlap. Once the burlap is removed mound soil around the shrub roots to secure the shrub. Now you can fill the hole with water and let the water disperse.
• Bare root shrubs without soil need to be planted as soon as possible to maintain vitality. If damage roots exist, trim damaged root systems to promote growth then soak the shrub in room temperature water for a minimum of one hour before planting.