Thank you for your choice of Outdoor Traditions in your Landscape project.  We have created this information sheet, to help you with the care and expectations of your new Planting

Fresh Planting

Your new Garden or Plants need your help.  We have done our part to get them started; fresh compost soil, loose dirt to live in and start new roots, special fertilizer to encourage new roots, and mulch topping to keep moisture in and weeds out.

Your Garden is new and needs a bit of time to establish.  Some plants are going to die no matter how much care and love you give them.  They sometimes do not take well to a new environment.  Unless you have been given instructions about a certain plant this information sheet should cover all the plants in your garden.

Watering

Watering is the single most important thing to do for your garden or plants.

When we work up the garden and dug holes for plants this creates a lot of air into the soil.  This air needs to be removed.  This is achieved by watering.  A lot of water displaces the air and lubricates the soil and when the water moves through the soil it takes the air along with it.  Also a bonus to watering is it keeps your new plants alive.  The plants need the water as well and getting the air out helps you to water a little less each time.  Your plants have most likely been confined to a pot all or most of their lives.  They now have room to grow and establish and achieve the ability to sustain themselves with minimal water but they are nowhere near that yet.  They will need your help for at least a couple of seasons and all of this season for sure.

We recommend as much water as possible without runoff.  This means the first time you water the garden it should almost be soup.  You need to have the water penetrate 6 inches into the ground.  This allows the soil to start its compaction process, and allow the plants them self to soak up the water to become wet and healthy again.  The sooner this first watering is done the better it is for the plants.
After the first watering it only needs to be maintained or kept wet.

Watering Schedule

  • First watering 1-2 hours in each spot the sprinkler sits, making sure to cover all of the garden areas. So if you have to move the sprinkler 3 times to cover the area you should be watering 3-6hours of total time
  • Maintenace watering should be done at least once a day, but twice is better. Same as above with reguards to method but time should be 30 – 60 minutes
  • For the first week you should do the “first watering” on the first day and then “maintenance watering” every day for the rest of the 7 day period.
  • For the second week you should do a “maintenance watering” every other day of the 7 day cycle.
  • For the third week you should do a “maintenance watering” every third day of the 7 day cycle
  • After the third week ground should be hard and you should maintain a good watering practice of 2 to 3 waterings a week depending on the season.

Another method if the sprinkler method does not work for you is the time per plant method.  First watering 30 seconds per shrub or bush and 15 seconds for perennials, broken up into at least to visits per plant to avoid runoff.  Maintenace here is a 10 second count and a 5 second count at least once a day twice is better.

Mulch and Mulch Requirements

Mulch is there to help prevent weeds and when it decomposes it adds needed nutrients to the soil. We always recommend soft wood or natural mulch one that is free from hard wood and skids.  The die in these mulches is there for aesthetics and should not harm the plants.  You will need to top up your mulch on a yearly basis; you can go to a local supplier and get bags, have it delivered in bulk or call us to do it for you.

Tree, Shrub and Perennial Maintenance

Trees do not need much maintenance at all for the first 5 years.  They do require trimming or pruning once they reach the size you want them to be.  At that time they need to be trimmed or pruned to maintain that size.  If you are uncomfortable with this you can call us or any professional of your choice

Shrubs and evergreens need at least one trim a year.  This is done typically after the plant flowers to maximize blooms the following season.  In the case of an evergreen that does not flower whenever it is convenient for you works for this type of plant. Again if you are uncomfortable with this type of thing for fear of damage please call us and we will be happy to quote you on such a job.

Perennials need very little care at all.  Each year at the end of the season or before they start growing in the spring they need all of the seasons growth removed or trimmed right to the ground.  This makes maximum room for the new growth to pop up in the spring.  When a particular perennial gets too large for the spot it is growing in, it needs to be reduced.  This is done by digging the entire root system out of the ground, cutting off most of the roots and returning a smaller portion of the plant back to its original spot (a root chunk roughly 6”x6”).

Weeds

Weeds are going to invade your garden.  It is going to happen.  Our best suggestion is to pull out 5 weeds a week.  You will have difficulty finding 5 weeds a week to start, but if you keep at it you should always have a hard time finding 5 weeds.  If you let this go or do nothing they will come and bring all their friends.  The Mulch is there to help simplify and reduce the weeds it does not stop them.

Download Our Gardening/Planting Projects PDF Info Card

Questions or concerns

If you have any questions or concerns that we have not answered here please call, email, or any method of contact you choose and we will be happy to help.

Thank you again for choosing Outdoor Traditions and we look forward to serving you again in the future with your next project.

Outdoor Traditions Limited