Tips & Links

Plant Installation

The first step is to choose the proper plant / tree for your needs, local conditions and USDA Plant Hardiness Zone. Here at the nursery we are in Zone 6B, just west of Zone 7A (which runs along the coast). You will also need to take into consideration your local site conditions;

Is it full sun, heavy shade, or a mix somewhere in between?
How is your soil, drainage, etc.?
How big will the plant/tree be at maturity and how long will that take?
Will it take too long to fill the space, or will it outgrow it in a couple of years?
What attributes are you looking for in a plant? Deciduous, evergreen, semi-evergreen, perennial, flowers, foliage color, foliage texture, winter interest, deer resistant, level of maintenance, etc.?

Yes, there are just a few things to consider, but don’t be afraid; the internet has a wealth of information at your finger tips. Take a little time, do some research and you should be rewarded with a plant, tree, or entire landscape that you will enjoy for many years to come.

Now that you know what you’re looking for, it’s time to find the right nursery (hopefully ours) to supply the plant material. There are MANY varieties out there so it may not always be easy to find that one plant that you fell in love with while searching the web, but there a likely other similar varieties that are more available in your area. Once you have found what you want, you still need to get your plants home safely. Even a short wind-blown trip down the highway on a warm sunny day can desiccate and stress your new plants quite quickly. Preferably you can transport them inside your vehicle or it the bed of a truck wrapped or covered with a burlap / mesh tarp, while taking a few back roads or just slowing it down a little. We don’t particularly recommend using poly tarps as they don’t allow any air to flow through and therefore may either just beat up your plants as it blows in the wind or “cook” it as the temperature quickly rises in the sun.

Once you have successfully gotten your new plants home; get them out of the car, into some shade, un-wrapped / un-tied (if need be), and watered. Trees can be left tied-up for longer periods when the temperatures are cooler, but can deteriorate and stress quickly on warm sunny days. You can buy some time by keeping them out of the sun while keeping the heads (the tops) watered to keep them cool. But don’t over do it! If the root ball gets too wet and soft, you are more likely to break additional roots within the ball during transport and planting.

OK, it’s time to set out your plants according to your plan and start planting. Once you’re sure that you have everything where you like it, start digging. Dig your hole as deep as your root ball and about twice as wide, with a slight taper inwards. This oversized hole will disturb the soil for your new plant allowing you to make any necessary soil improvements (peat moss, fertilizer, mycorrhizae, etc.) while leaving the surrounding soil looser and more receptive to water and new roots. I recommend digging and setting in all plants within a certain group together prior to backfilling the first plant. This way when you need to tweak your spacing a little bit, you won’t need to dig it up and start over. Backfill each plant partially and fill each hole with water, allowing it to seep in fully. Now, backfill the rest of the way and pack in the soil around the plant. Pack the soil in well, without over doing it, being careful not to plant it deeper (or much more shallow) than the top of the root ball. Aim to be just a hair more shallow to leave some room for mulch. Finally, install mulch (no more than 3” fluffed up) and DO NOT back mulch up around the trunk of you tree / shrub. Too much mulch can actually keep water from getting down to the root ball / soil, while heavy mulch up around the trunk can invite pests and possibly hurt your new investment. You should scratch up / re-fluff your mulch the following Spring and you will likely need to add additional mulch in the second Spring (another 1 – 2”). Personally, I don’t recommend installing weed fabric (and NEVER plastic) under mulch. If you need to keep the weeds down prior to installation, then spray the area with a contact weed killer in the weeks prior to planting. You can also use a granular or liquid pre-emergent under the initial mulch. Weed seeds WILL blow in from somewhere and take root on top of your mulch and well above any weed fabric you may have installed.

Proper watering of your newly installed landscape is your next step to assuring strong well rooted plants for years of enjoyment to come. Your individual watering schedule will vary based on your local soil and weather conditions, but generally the plants in your landscape (along with your lawn) prefer to receive 1” of water per week during the growing season. So, for starters, that quick cloud burst you had yesterday didn’t do much of anything for your plants. Ideally you are looking for a slow, deep watering to help promote deep root growth so that your plants are less susceptible to drought and heat stress down the road. Soaker hoses or Tree Gators (drip watering bags) are one way to do this. You may also water by hand, rotating briefly from plant to plant, allowing the water to better soak in, rather than just run off. Finally, you can also just set up sprinklers and run and rotate them as needed. As is with most things; where some is good, more is not always better.You can drown you plants as well as you can let them dry out. Therefore I recommend reaching down at the base of your plant, just below the mulch to see how wet, cool and moist, or hot and dry the soil feels. You are aiming for cool and moist which may take a little trial and error regarding your personal watering techniques. A plant’s watering requirements will vary depending on many factors, so you will likely find that some plants need more (or less) attention until they become established. Lastly, if you are counting on the rain to take care of things; remember that dry soil takes longer to accept water, and that a torrential down pour may look like enough water until your realize that most of it ran right off your property.

There are many schools of thought regarding plants and your landscape. They are not all right and they are not all wrong, they are just a variety of opinions. You need to figure out what works best for you in your location. Here are just a couple of examples:

Staking Your New Tree
Briefly staking a tree as it starts to root may be necessary, while depending on the tree and location it may just be overkill. A tree swaying in the breeze actually promotes stronger root growth (as long as it’s still standing), so keeping it staked too long may become a detriment.

Removing Burlap & Wire Baskets
Some swear up and down that both the burlap and basket must be completely removed or the roots won’t grow though them, or that the burlap left above soil level will suck the plant dry in no time. I believe that the latter holds some credence, but even rot-treated burlap will rot out below soil level within a couple months leaving the remaining burlap attached to nothing. In my experience, roots will readily grow through the burlap and basket with ease, so taking them off only really removes the stable base that is keeping you tree upright and the root ball intact. If there is burlap and sisal twine remaining around the trunk in the following season, I recommend removing it as it MAY girdle the trunk as it continues to grow. If your tree was dug and tied using poly twine, CUT IT OFF IMMEDIATELY as you plant, otherwise it will eventually girdle the trunk and kill your investment.

Plant Maintenance
We know that most people would prefer NO maintenance plants…. well, good luck with that. Unless it’s fake (or dead) all plants will require / benefit from some maintenance.

For starters, all plants would like to be fed (at least annually), so fertilizing is a must. Of course there are plenty of options; organic, slow-release, acid loving, weed and feed, etc., so pick the one that fits your needs and follow the directions on the bag. A well fed plant with be more resistant to environmental stresses, including pest infestation.

Dealing with weeds may end up being the most time consuming part of your landscape maintenance. Start with a pre-emergent in the spring (maybe a weed and feed, killing two birds with one stone), pull or spray weeds as they start (don’t let them get a good foothold), and keep your lawn mowed regularly to help avoid introducing weed seeds from your own yard.

Shearing and Pruning
Plants vary by how much and when they should be pruned or sheared (if at all). Now is another good time to plan ahead and do a little research before you go out and start chopping away. Pruning out damage can and should be done as is required. Many trees may only need pruning for shaping when smaller and should then be allowed to follow their natural form. Others may require or prefer regular pruning or shearing to help maintain shape, size or density. While still pruning others is more time dependent as you might be cutting off next season’s flower buds if you’re not careful. Your pruning / shearing schedule with also be dictated by your landscape preferences. If you like the formal look, then you are in for more maintenance than if you prefer a looser and more natural form. So, figure out a pruning schedule that fits your plants and preferences, and stick to it.

Watering Established Plantings
Once your plants are rooted and established, regular watering isn’t likely necessary unless you are in a real dry spell or complete drought conditions. Even then, if your fertilizing and watering schedule worked as planned, you will have deeply rooted plants that may access deeper stores of moisture in you yard, while a well fed plant is less susceptible to environmental stresses. If you want to supplement the watering during these times (if you are allowed to) your landscape will look and grow better for it, but that is up to you. Just remember, don’t over do it and water deeply enough to continue to promote deep root growth.

Dealing with Pests and Infestations
It always a good idea to regularly inspect your landscape so that you can nip small problems in the bud before they get out of control. Once again, here is where a little research on a newly found problem is a good investment. Contacting your local County Extension Agent regarding pests and infestations has a twofold benefit. First you can access a wealth of information regarding your local plants and pests, while also advising the agent of occurrences of certain problems so they can better and more efficiently do their jobs to combat them. There may be variety of choices to combat your problem, be it environmental, physical, biological, or chemical controls. You will need to choose what works best for you, which may include contacting professional applicators with extensive knowledge and the proper equipment.

These tips are just that, TIPS. We strongly recommend that you do the research and learn more so that you can make informed decisions regarding plant choice and care, along with understanding the related tools and techniques.

Helpful Links

USDA Plants Hardiness Zones
Rutgers Cooperative Extension Office of Monmouth County
Rutgers Cooperative Extension Office of Ocean County
NJ County Cooperative Extension Offices
NJ Weed Gallery
Jonathan Green
New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association
Better Business Bureau of New Jersey
University of Connecticut Plant Index