Getting Established

Gardening by the Yard : Episode GBY-718 -- More Projects »
Ever wonder what makes a "well-established plant"? While many gardening terms are self-explanatory, such as "days to germination" or "hardy in Zones 3 through 9," some expressions are a bit more elusive. "And perhaps the least understood but, in my judgment, most important of all," says master gardener Paul James, "is the phrase 'once established.'" This term refers to the critical period that begins when a plant seed has been sown and continues until that plant is reasonably well-equipped to grow on its own. That period may be as short as a few days or as long as several years.

For many plants sown by seed--in particular, annuals that are planted in the ground--the critical period is relatively short, often no more than a week to 10 days. Because annuals complete an entire life cycle within a year or less, they are able to establish a vigorous root system during a fairly short time.

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Figure A
All annuals sown from seed in the garden--whether vegetable, herb or flower--demand specific maintenance requirements such as regular watering and occasional weeding. James recommends that you maintain a moist soil surface until the seeds germinate. Then, once the plants develop their first set of true leaves (figure A), apply mulch around the plants and soak the plants every few days or weekly.

Perennials sown from seed in the garden need a little more attention because they take three years to become truly established. To establish perennials correctly, provide water at least once a week during the growing season, apply nutrients (ideally in the form of compost) once or twice a year, and mulch to conserve moisture and help guard against weeds.

You may need to take additional precautions to protect your plants from damaging pests and diseases. "In my experience, plants sown from seed directly in the garden fare far better in virtually every respect," says James, "including their ability to withstand attack from pests and diseases, than plants that are stuck in the ground as transplants. And again, the reason is simple--no transplant shock."

Because transplants provide gardeners with instant gratification and garden beauty, most people prefer to buy transplants rather than patiently wait for seeds to mature. If you decide on transplants, choose plants in the smallest containers available because smaller plants are far less likely to suffer from transplant shock. James recommends avoiding any plants in containers larger than one gallon. Keep in mind, smaller plants are also a lot easier to plant.

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Figure B
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Figure C
Naturally, there are times when you want to purchase plants in larger containers such as 3- to 20-gallon pots of trees and shrubs. However, remember that larger transplants need at least a year to become established, and during that time they need more care. Also try to select transplants that are well-rooted, but not root-bound. Transplants that are root-bound (figure B) take far longer to become established because the roots continue to grow in a circle. However, you can score and tease the roots of root-bound plants so that they will grow out rather than around (figure C).

Do not purchase plants whose top growth has outgrown the container because that indicates that the grower over-fertilized and the plant may not have enough of a root system to support the top growth. "Most importantly," says James, "you need to plant at the right time, which in most parts of the country is spring or fall or both." These seasons provide the best conditions for establishing healthy plants.

Also in this Episode
Gardening by the Yard : Episode GBY-718
•Getting Established
•Island Beds
•Coastal Gardening
•Ugly Gardens