Successful Gardening: A Planting Guide

Here at Plant Me Green there are two different ways you can receive our plants. Some varieties come in bare root style, while most others are potted plants. Depending on the style you purchased, will determine how you will initially care for our leafy friends.

To begin the planting process, you will need to dig a hole that is approximately as big as the root system you are planting. Next, place the plant in the hole you have created and make sure the top of the plant's root system is level (or just above the surrounding soil). Remove the packing material and pack dirt firmly around the root system. Allow the soil to settle, then proceed to add extra soil as needed in order to remove air pockets. Remove any rocks or debris from around the plant and water the root system until thoroughly saturated. Once your plant is in the ground, you will need to water adequately during the establishment process, unless otherwise noted by Plant Me Green. Finally, stake and mulch the plant if necessary.

Bare root trees can only be shipped while in their dormant stage of growth, which happens between December and March, unless otherwise noted in your plants description. Your tree may look dead, but it is alive. Dormant trees lose all of their foliage during wintertime. Bare root trees should be planted within 7 days of arrival. If you need to wait longer, heel them in. In order to heel in your bare root trees, dig a U-shaped trench that is wide and deep enough to hold your trees. Remove trees from their packaging and lay them at a slight angle in the trench. Leave a small angle in between each plant. Back-fill the trench with enough soil to cover the roots. Do not overfill. Water the plants sufficiently. When you are ready to plant, gently remove the soil using a trowel. Fill a large bucket with water and soak the root system for 24 hours. At this point you can plant your tree.

Plant Me Green ships potted or container plants all year long and can be planted at any time during the year. However, optimal plating time is considered to be Spring through the Fall. You do not have to plant your potted plant right away. As long as you water sufficiently and provide it with adequate sun exposure, you are able to leave your plant in the pot. If you begin to notice signs that your plant is root bound, simply re-pot it into a larger container or plant it in the ground. Potted plants that are left sitting on concrete surfaces will need to be watered more frequently as concrete retains more heat. These plants need to be watered daily due to exposure of the extra heat. Should the daily temperature be hotter than usual, you may want to water these plants twice a day. When given adequate water and sunshine, your potted plant can reach its full growth potential within two months of planting.