Congratulations on your new plant or tree. Your new plant relies on you to care for it for at least 3 years until it is established. With care, your plant should live a long life and serve many purposes in your garden. Below are tips to get it started in the right direction.
- Give the new plant a long, deep watering using a soaker hose or dripline - NOT a sprinkler. If you don’t own a soaker hose, put your garden hose on a very slow trickle and let it drip over the plant’s root ball.
- Let the water run for 1 hour before turning off the hose or dripline. Wait another hour to let the water penetrate the soil. Then, dig a hole near the root ball (please don’t dig into the roots!) to see how deep water has penetrated.
- The goal is to deliver water at least one foot (12 inches) into the soil. If water penetrated 6 inches, double the soaking time. If water is well deeper than 12 inches, reduce the soaking time accordingly.
- Soil conditions vary greatly from garden to garden and plant to plant. Find out early in your plant’s life how long it takes to get water 12 inches deep.
- After the initial soak, top dress the new plant with a light layer (1 inch or less) of a mulch to retain moisture. Avoid piling mulch up base of the trunk, as this can lead to rot.
- Your plant will rely on YOU for water – especially between April 1 and mid-November – for the first three years after planting. On average, your plant will need a deep soak every week or two. In times of heavy rain, water less frequently. In the heat of summer, water more frequently.