3. Plant properly

Give your new plants a healthy start.

prep the soil

• Seed packets and plant tags provide instructions for planting (depth and spacing, as well as thinning and harvesting for crops). Be sure to save them in a binder with your sketches.
• Most plants do best in loose, well-drained soil, with a lot of organic matter (usually compost) mixed in. Work the soil to a depth of at least 6 inches—deeper for shrubs and trees.
• Add granular fertilizer and water well at time of planting; continue to water frequently for the next couple of weeks.

time it right

• See page 202 for when to start certain plants from seed (a good idea for crops in areas with short growing seasons); gradually expose seedlings to outdoors over a week to “harden off” before planting in ground.
• Early fall is the best time to plant spring-blooming bulbs, next year’s perennials (or to divide and replant existing ones), and even trees and shrubs—this allows you to also devote your spring gardening to other tasks. Plant while the ground is still warm, at least six weeks before the first hard frost.
• Otherwise (and always for annuals and seedlings) wait for spring, when the ground has warmed to at least 55°F and after the last frost; summer bloomers can be planted later in milder climates.
• Crops can—and should, in the case of succession planting—be planted all season long in a vegetable garden.

4. Nurture plants

Learning when and how to feed, water, and weed gets easier with practice.

feed and water

• Fertilize all plants and beds in early spring—or the date of the last frost in colder regions; trees and shrubs can have another light feeding in late fall. Roses require their own upkeep (check the care label). Water well after feeding.
• Apply a deep layer of mulch in early spring or later in the fall to keep the soil moist and prevent weeds.
• Flowers and shrubs need 1 to 2 inches of water per week (more for container plants). Water early in the morning (the best time) or late afternoon. Get a rain gauge to help with measuring.

weed and prune

• Young weeds can be pulled out with your hands; for those with deep taproots, like dandelions, use a hori hori to dig down and remove the entire plant, roots and all. Weed after a rain or water first, to ease the job.
• To quickly get rid of a trouble spot, pour boiling water or white vinegar over it (but not on grass); repeat as needed.
• Always dispose of weeds in your regular trash, where they can’t proliferate.
• Deadhead flowering plants to encourage new growth, either by pinching off spent blooms or cutting stems to an inch above their bases; leave foliage to gather energy for next year’s growth, removing any brown foliage before it drops and turns to rot (attracting pests).
• Spring-flowering blooms should be pruned right after they’re done flowering; roses should also be pruned after blooming.
• Some summer-flowering shrubs bloom on old growth while others on new, so ask your local garden center how to prune your specific specimen.

Martha Must

At my Skylands home in Maine, I gather moss, lichens, and ferns from the property to create miniature “forests” for keeping indoors, layering crushed gravel in rustic containers and arranging my finds to mimic nature. When the plants begin fading, I return them to their rightful place and replace them with others.