Asbury Gardens
248 River Street, Oneonta, New York 13820
(607) 432-8703
PLANTING AND CARE INSTRUCTIONS
Dig a hole 1-1/2 to 2 times wider than the root ball and 3-6”deeper than the height of the ball. Mix the soil removed from the hole with half an equal amount of peat moss. I will usually add a handful of organic or slow release* fertilizer at the bottom of the hole and throw in another handful or two with the back fill.
Replace enough of the soil/peat moss mixture to the bottom of hole so that when the plant is placed in the hole, the top of its root ball is level or 2-3” above the surface of the ground. An easy way to do this is to take a straight stick and lay it across the hole that you have dug. If the top of the root ball meets the stick, then the plant is properly placed in the hole. Plant higher if you have poor drainage or heavy clay soil.
Before covering the ball with soil, the burlap must be taken away from the stem and folded back beneath the top of the ball. Any string or wire that is attached to the stem must be removed to prevent them from girdling the tree. The wire basket may be left in place so that the root ball will keep its shape and hold the roots in place. Once placed for good the wire basket can be cut if you choose.
Refill the hole around the root ball with the soil/peat moss mixture. Firm up the soil as you fill the hole to eliminate large air pockets. When the hole is 2/3 full you can water the plant, let hole fill up with water, when water has disappeared you can then finish filling hole with soil. “Dish” the soil around the plant at the outer edge of the hole so that water will collect and funnel toward the plant and not away.
Mulch surface of planting bed with 3-4” of processed mulch to retain moisture and suppress weed growth. A weed barrier fabric may be use to help prevent weed growth. Keep mulch and weed barrier 3-4 inches away from stem.
Watering your plantings once or twice a week is usually enough. A slow trickle from the hose at each plant for 5-10 minutes is good *Watering frequency will obviously depend on the weather. Don’t over water!
* If you choose to add fertilizer to the plantings, be sure to read the directions on the fertilizer bag. Too much of the wrong type of fertilizer and no water at the same time will only desiccate a plant and kill it.
*Due to our unpredictable winters it is not a bad idea to wrap the trunk of trees w/ tree wrap. This will help with the prevention of frost cracks that sometime occur on stems (trunks) due to rapid temperature changes. Tree guards may also be used to prevent mice, vole or rabbit damage at the base of the trunk over winter. Please feel free to call if you have any questions