"Gardening Advice Online and Easy to Follow Gardening Articles"

This page will give you the basics of how to choose plants and how to plant them to give them the best start in life.

Choosing Plants

• Check the label, the flowers should match the picture or description; if not, it may be labelled incorrectly

• Leaves should be healthy, clear and free of pests or diseases

• Stems and branches should be sturdy and evenly spread around a central stem

• Avoid trees whose main central shoot is missing or broken

• Compost should be free of moss and liverworts

• Avoid plants where compost has shrunk from the pot sides due to drying out

• There should be plenty of roots

• If the plant is healthy, but the roots are coming out of the bottom of the pot you can still buy it and cut the pot off carefully

Click here to see the RHS definitions of plant hardiness

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	Browse the categories below for a full range of plants available from Crocus.co.uk

How to Plant

• If the plant is really dry, stand it in a bucket of water until it's thoroughly wet

• Prepare the soil well and dig a hole twice the diameter of the pot

• Add some organic matter into the bottom of the hole

• If you’re planting in the spring sprinkle in some general fertilizer too

• Remove the plant from its pot

• If it is pot-bound tease out a few of the biggest roots

• Stand the plant in the hole with it’s best side facing the direction from which you'll normally view it

• Check that the top of the rootball is level with the surrounding soil, and that the plant is standing upright

• Mix more organic matter with the excavated soil and fill in around the rootball.

• Firm gently with your foot

• Water thoroughly

• Spread an layer of mulch

The exceptions to the above technique are:

Alpines

Rock plants need good drainage. When planting alpines, set the top of the rootball 1cm above the level of the soil and then spread a layer of gravel around the neck of the plant. Over the rest of the soil surface as a top dressing.

Bulbs

Bulbs generally need planting quite deep; the general rule is three times their own depth. However, if you get the depth wrong most bulbs will pull themselves down into the ground using special, contractile roots. If you're planting bulbs in heavy soil, add grit to the bottom of the hole to ensure good drainage.

A few bulbs prefer shallow planting. Plant Madonna lilies (Lilium candidum) with the tip of the bulb just showing above ground. Lay Crown Imperials (Fritillaria imperialis) on their sides so that water can't collect in their hollow centre and make them rot.

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Clematis

Clematis are the major exception to the normal rule about planting depth; they need to be planted deep. The top of the rootball should be buried 10-15cm below the surface of the soil. This is to ensure regrowth should the young plant suffer from clematis wilt, it also keeps the roots cool and moist which they love.

Evergreens

Plant evergreens as per the standard technique but be sure to keep the soil moist and protect them from severe winds.

Grafted plants

It is essential to plant grafted plants with the union about 10cm above ground. When you buy grafted shrubs grow­ing in pots, they will already be planted at the right depth, so just plant with the top of the rootball flush with the ground. Roses are the exception; plant with the union about 2.5cm under ground, even if they were higher in their pots.

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Trees

It's a good idea to stake new trees which are taller than 2m while it's getting properly rooted in. Use a short stake, 100-120-cm, hammered in at an angle of 45 degrees. The top end of the stake should point in the direction of the prevailing wind. Use a tree tie to fix the trunk to the stake about 30cm from the ground - the buckle of the tie should rest against the stake, not the tree.

Moving perennials

Spring is the best time for mov­ing most perennials, but there are a few exceptions: bearded irises should be moved six weeks after flowering; move primroses and polyanthus immediately after flowering. Only the toughest of plants should be moved in the Autumn. A few perennials, such as hellebores, don’t move well so look for self-sown seedlings around the original plant and transplant them in the spring. You can move spring bulbs at any time during summer, when they are dormant. You can also dig them up as soon as they finish flowering and move them 'in-the-green'.

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Moving existing shrubs

Most shrubs will move well provided they are not too old. Shallow-rooted kinds, like rhododendrons, move very easily. Evergreens move best in early autumn or early spring. Move deciduous shrubs when they are not in leaf. For all shrubs take it up with as large a ball of roots as possible. Move it immediately to a new, well prepared planting hole, with lots of organic matter forked into the bottom, and fill in quickly. Replant at the same depth as it was growing before. Water it in well, and keep it watered during dry spells. Before moving a large plant it is advisable to dig right around it during the spring before you want to move it. By doing this you'll sever some of the big thick roots encouraging the plant to make lots of new fibrous roots which form a dense rootball that transplants better.