BACK TO BASICS
GARDENING AUSTRALIA SEPTEMBER 2019 41
Give your plant the best
start in life with the right
preparationand planting technique.
1.Digyourhole. Make it the same depth as
your pot and three times its width. Loosen
the bottom a little. Fill the hole with water
and allow it to drain. If you come back in
half an hour and there’s still water in there,
the drainage is poor – you’ll need to create
a raised mound of soil to plant into.
- As the hole drains, soak the pot in water
for 5–10 minutes to saturate the root ball. - Put the plant in the hole, making sure
the top of the root ball is level with the
surrounding soil – you may need to pack
a little soil underneath. Add some compost
to your excavated soil, and backfill. - Create a channel in the soil to catch
the water and direct it to the roots. - Add some organic fertiliser to the
surface but don’t mix it into the hole.
6. Water in, and cover the surface with
a 5–7cm layer of mulch, keeping it clear
of the trunk. Remove the nursery stake.
These are usually tied in tight and don’t
allow the plant to ‘stand on its own feet’.
If the plant still needs staking, it’s better
to put in a couple of stakes either side of
the plant and secure them to the trunk
loosely with a soft plant tie. When a plant
is able to move around a little in the wind,
it encourages a stronger root system.
HOW TO PLANT CORRECTLY
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