“Go For It”

Who can forget the famous catchphrase “Go for it” muttered throughout the Rocky films? I believe it was the mobster Gazzo in Rocky 2 that first yelled it as Rocky was about to beat Apollo Creed. Clearly though it was Clubber Lang’s (Mr. T) comment, “I’m gonna bust you up,” that sparked the retort, “Go for it,” from Rocky that everyone remembers. So what does this piece of film trivia have to do with horticulture? There seems to be a popular misconception that spring is the best time of year to plant and that fall/autumn is simply left for mums, pumpkins and any plant material left over that didn’t sell. Nothing could be further from the truth!

There is an old adage, you can transplant safely within any month that has an “R” in the word. This negates May, June, July and August! There are two key points here. The first is the word transplant! That is the act of pulling something out of the ground and planting it somewhere else, which in fact is different than planting. Planting is simply installing something that has been container grown or reinstalling something that was dug while it was dormant. Which brings me to my second point. The other months not mentioned above are associated with cooler climate. A time of year when plant materials have shut down or are shutting down making their move to a new location more conducive to planting. There is less stress, slower growth and cooler temperatures this time of year, thus increasing the odds of survivability.

There are ways to ensure that a plant succeeds at its new home. Simply being enamored with a plant, purchasing it and planting it doesn’t guarantee a plant’s life. Soil content, moisture levels and sunlight all contribute to a plant’s outcome. Remember, there is no one plant or one answer for one area. People always ask me what plant I recommend for one area or another. There can and will be several answers! Recently I gave a talk and was asked what low growing, evergreen plant I recommend in partial shade, slightly moist with a deer problem. Cephalotaxus (Japanese Plum Yew) was my first response, however Microbiota decussata (Russian Cypress) or Sarcococca hookeriana (Himalayan Sweetbox) are also fine solutions. The point being, while there is no formal homework required to purchase plants, there is a responsibility for you to ask questions and be thoughtful about your purchases. We are, after all, talking about life.

So, we have established that there are several factors to consider ensuring a plants health. You have asked questions, purchased an appropriate plant, given the location, and are willing to accept the burden of understanding the water requirements and lighting conditions of this plant. By the way, when you read a tag that says, “likes sun/part shade” that doesn’t mean there is a magical formula that requires that plant to have 4.6 hours a day of sunlight. It means, ask more questions and consider gardening trial by error. Again, we are talking about life and adaptability. Some plants like more sun and some like more shade. You are now ready to plant!

Aside from the obvious, digging an appropriate sized hole, substituting some existing soil content with some new content and finding the root flare of the tree or shrub, there is one mechanic that I wish more people would embrace. That is the addition of Mycorrhizae in their backfill. The Latin origin of the word, Myco means fungus and rrhizae means roots refers to several species of fungi which parasitize the root systems of plants. This symbiotic relationship improves a plants ability to receive nutrients and water uptake, aids in root growth, plant growth and yield while reducing both transplant shock and drought stress. And while this naturally occurs in undisturbed areas like forest floors, acting as an important part of its ecosystem, there needs to be an amendment of this to our natural soils as tillage, fertilization, removal of top soil, erosion and home construction all lead to the removal of what was once there.

Independent garden centers do a great job of providing plant materials with current seasonal interest. Inventories are strong and plentiful this time of year. Long term health for your plants is dependant on proper siting, the basic mechanics of proper installation and long term care with food and water. The basics are set in motion for you. So go forth and plant. Take Rocky’s shibboleth expression to heart and “Go for it!”

A Popular Misconception

One of the most popular questions I field during the spring is, “when is a good time to plant?” My answer… you can plant anytime, as long as you can break ground. Homeowners become weary and skeptical around this time every year. When our heat index rises and it becomes uncomfortable for more rigorous, outdoor yard work, it seems that zinnias, red fountain grass, other tropicals and larger pots of annual color dominate the public’s eye and fill temporary landscapes. The truth is there is a huge misconception between transplanting and planting new plant materials during the hot summer months.

Transplanting existing plant material and planting new plant material is entirely different. When you transplant, “take up an existing shrub and set again in another soil or location,” you must be very particular as to when you dig it out of the ground. There is an old adage that says you should never dig something out of the ground, that is established, in any month that does not have an “R” in the word. That leaves out May, June, July and August. The point being that it is easier and less stressful for plants to reestablish themselves during the cooler months of January, February, March, April, September, October, November and December. Yes, it is possible to transplant something in the dead of winter assuming that the ground is not entirely frozen. After all the plant is dormant.

Planting new trees and shrubs, setting our green friends in the ground to grow, seems to be most popular, in the northeast, during the months of April, May and June. Almost any garden center looks at Mothers Day weekend as their Superbowl or World Series of events. Garden centers will have as much product packed into their real estate as possible for the big event. The last frost date for most of New Jersey is around May 15^th. If you follow the lunar calendar, it’s the first full moon in May. This year that was May 16^th. Either way, if you benchmark Mother’s Day, as most do, you can plant tomatoes, basil, figs, azaleas or whatever safely. This year, Mother’s Day was May13th.

Spring plantings dominate the northeast, with our inclusion of annuals, perennials, vegetables, trees, shrubs and tropicals. Autumn seems to be a distant second, an after thought, only for the basics, i.e. azaleas, rhododendron, juniper and laurels as well as the more majestic conifers like spruce, hemlock and pine. That leaves roughly 90 days of good planting weather for you to develop your gardens. Availability seems to be the hardest obstacle to overcome in the warmer summer months. B&B (balled and burlap plant material) is case sensitive and is dug in cooler months. Once a garden center has gone through its allotment or inventory for the spring, it is hard to restock larger specimen plants. However, containerized plants are abundant during the warmer summer months and are at absolutely no risk of being installed during this time of year. Moreover, larger plants that were dug out of the ground at the right time of year also have no risk of being reinstalled or planted during warmer summer months as they were dug while they were dormant. The same logic still applies when planting in the spring, summer or fall. Sight your plants properly being cognizant of lighting conditions, deer issues and proximity to their surroundings. Just because it’s summer don’t water a plant everyday! Monitor the plant and check it two to three times a week for water. Over watering can be just as fatal as under watering.

There are exceptions to the rule, however, about transplanting trees within the months that have an “R”. There are fall digging hazards for a number of trees and thus it is suggested that the following types of trees be thoughtfully transplanted during February and March. Trident Maples, Birch, Hornbeams, Katsura’s, Redbuds, Hawthorns, Beech, Carolina Silverbells, Goldenraintrees, Sweetgums, Tuliptrees, Crabapples, Black Gums, Hophornbeams, Cherries, Pears, Oaks, Willows, Mountainash, Lindens, Chinese Elms and Zelkova’s have all been deemed dangerous for fall transplanting.

Planting trees and shrubs in the summer gives our green friends roughly four to six months to set their feet (roots) into the ground and become comfortable for our infamous Jersey winters. As you peruse nursery stock this summer be mindful that a standard 2-2.5” caliper tree that is balled and burlapped should have a 24” size root ball and weighs approximately 300 pounds. Container trees that are similar in size may be manageable enough for you to load into your SUV and be the weekend warrior you know you are.