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Introduction
Screening Plants
Flowering Shrubs
Colorful Shrubs
Back to
Landscape 101
The first step of a
successful landscape is a good design. A key element of a good design is
the proper setting of shrubs in the landscape. Each plant has its own
requirements for the amount of sun, soil type, drainage, and cold winter
wind exposure. Each shrub should be planted with its mature height and
size in mind, not what it looks like in its pot at the nursery. The
successful landscape first starts with an excellent plan. It is also
cost effective to do it correctly the first time. A North Metro Atlanta
plant list is provided here. The plants are grouped by size and sun
exposure requirements.
PLANT INSTALLATION
Once a plant is selected
based on its full growth size, its sun and wind exposure, and its soil
condition and drainage, it is time to plant. The best time for planting
shrubs is in the fall, followed by the winter, and lastly, spring.
Planting plants in the heat of the summer requires experience and
excellent care. Most soil in North Metro Atlanta is heavy red clay. It
sticks together like glue and does not drain well. The clay can become
as hard as rock, and sometimes requires a pick axe and a great deal of
strength to dig an adequate size planting hole. This clay not only
drains poorly, but prevents the roots from spreading to create a healthy
plant that can soak up enough water and nutrients. A hole in such hard
clay can form an outdoor bathtub, filling with water during a heavy rain
and drowning the plant. A healthy shrub has a well developed root system
which requires water, oxygen, and nutrients. Proper installation,
watering, pruning, and fertilization make for a healthy plant.
1. Dig the hole at
least twice as wide as the plant's root ball. The harder the soil, the
wider the hole should be.
2. Amend the soil.
With the soil sitting in a pile from your hole excavation, pour on soil
conditioner, mushroom compost, or cow manure onto the pile and mix it
with a shovel. After properly positioning the prepared plant, use this
mixture when refilling the hole.
3. Prepare the
plant's root ball. For container grown plants, the dirt and roots at the
edge of the container ball need to be loosened to prevent the plant from
becoming root bound. The edge of the roots and soil should be loose
enough to allow the roots to spread into the surrounding soil. If this
is not done, the roots can become trapped in a hardened root ball.
4. For ball and
burlap plants do not remove the burlap. After the plant is planted, open
the burlap at the top of the plant and pull the burlap away from the
trunk. Leaving the burlap wrapped at the base may suffocate the
plant. Removing the burlap before planting may result in the dirt in the
root ball separating and breaking the root. This kind of root
damage may not be readily visible, but it can kill the plant. For this
reason the plant should be carried by the root ball and not by the plant
or tree trunk. The weight of the dirt may cause the plant roots to break
inside the ball, thus killing the plant.
5. Don't plant the
plant to deep. Adding dirt to the top of the plants existing soil may
suffocate the plant's crown and kill the plant. Often times, it is
better to leave the plant an inch or two above the surface and slope the
dirt up to the plant's root ball. This can improve drainage, and insures
that the plant crown is not buried, which is a fatal mistake.
6. Water plants
thoroughly after installation. Air pockets in the dirt around the root
ball may result in dried out roots. Adding root starter to the water can
be essential for larger shrubs and trees, and will benefit plants of all
sizes. Newly installed materials should be watered daily for two weeks.
Plants installed in the spring, when flowers and new leaves are
emerging, need extra water. Plants planted in the summer need extra
water due to extreme evaporation loss. Plants planted in hot, dry soils
can suck the water right out of a root ball and kill the plant quickly
if not watered immediately after planting. A few hours in 95 degree heat
can cause severe plant damage.
7. Fertilize
plants at the time of installation with a small handful of 10-10-10
mixed in with the soil. Time release fertilizer pellets may be used,
touching the root ball a few inches below the soil level, to provide
continuous feeding. For the first three years, fertilize in early spring
and late summer with 12-6-6 or 21-3-12, timed release.
PLANT FERTILIZATION
Plants can be fertilized
with liquid, granule, and time release granule fertilizers. Liquid
fertilizers provide quick impact. Time release fertilizers are more
expensive, but provide nutrients for up to nine months. What is
important to know is when to fertilize, how to fertilize, and at what
strength.
Over fertilization can
badly burn or kill a plant. Fertilizer should be spread around the
plant. It should never be dumped on the plants center, or crown.
Flowering shrubs should not be fertilized prior to or during the flowers
bloom period. This may curtail or eliminate the flower's bloom.
What fertilizer should
you use? Fertilizer content is described in three numbers like 13-13-13
or 5-10-5. These numbers tell you the amounts of the three primary
nutrients in the fertilizer. The first number is the percentage of
nitrogen (N). Nitrogen helps the plant grow more leaves and branches,
while at the same time giving the leaves a healthy glow. The second
number is the percentage of Phosphorous (P). Phosphorous encourages
strong root formation and good flowering. To produce flowers and fall
berries, use a type of product with a higher phosphorous ratio like
5-10-5 or 6-12-12. The third number is for potassium or potash.
Potassium promotes hardiness, disease resistance, and plant strength.
Fertilization is most
important when transplanting for plant establishment and during its
first year. We like a granular time release fertilizer called Osmocote.
It is great on pansies and other annuals, and just about everything
else. Some plant requirements for fertilizer are greater than others. A
few plants react negatively to fertilization, but for most it is very
beneficial.
A good fertilization
schedule begins in April for most shrubs, except spring flowering
shrubs. Begin spring flowering shrubs fertilization after flowering.
Fertilization in February, for example, may push new growth which could
be killed by March or early April freezes. Refertilize in late summer.
Fertilizing in the heat of mid summer may overstress a shrub. This
policy excludes annuals and perennials.
Plants such as azaleas,
rhododendrons, and gardenias like Miracid fertilizer. Annuals and
perennials should be fertilized every 4 to 6 weeks during their growing
season. Pansies like Osmocote fertilizer, or fertilizer with "Nitrate
Nitrogen", which can be absorbed during cooler weather. Yellowing leaves
on a plant may indicate a nutrient deficiency. An application of liquid
fertilizer is the quickest way to get the plants the nutrients it needs.
Plant absorption of
nutrients is effected by soil PH. Knowing the proper PH for a plant is
important. Changing a soils PH to the plants needed PH is very
beneficial. However, changing the PH in the wrong direction can be
fatal. A soil test done by your county extension service will guide you
in the right direction. It is best not to guess.
Introduction
Screening Plants
Flowering Shrubs
Colorful Shrubs
Back to
Landscape 101 |
