This is very informative to a ditz, like me, who knows nothing about planting. Thank you. I didn't know about disturbing the soil and why it is important.
Thank you, Mary! I have watched so many gardening videos but they don't explain planting holes. I made my planting holes too small and did not disturb the soil. This is why my plants didn't survive. The fork trick is so useful for a small space. Also, do you acclimate your plants from the nursery before they go into the ground? I hear it's good to leave them in their original pots at the planting location for two weeks so that they get used to being outside since they are grown indoors.
You are so welcome BeesKnees! Sometimes I acclimate plants that are full sun loving but have been in the greenhouse as they grew up or if it's still very cold outside I will bring them under more open cover for a few days before planting out. But most of the time I plant them right away and shade them if needed. I put up frost cloth on the southwest side of the new plants (not on top of them as this will cook them) to let them get light but not full sun. About 4 days later (depending upon how hot it is) i remove the shade cloth. I use clothes pins to attach the cloth to stakes. I'm so happy you watched this video because the soil and the planting hole are way more important than most people realize. -mary
You're so welcome Maria. Thank you for watching and commenting! Remember, you can watch The Gardening Tutor videos without ads on my Vimeo channel: vimeo.com/user139239939 -mary
Hi Moniquebaby36, here in Santa Rosa CA we have several choices for suppliers of compost. Do you live here? If yes, I buy compost in bulk from Dryscape and Sequoia. If it was not so popular and sold out so often, my first choice would be Mango Mulch (no mangoes in it) from GrabnGrow. I have noticed that most bagged "compost" is not compost but small bark (sadly). -mary
I need help..I have clover taking over my creeping phlox. I have already sacrificed one phlox. the next year the clover spread to all my others. It's near impossible to pull out without pulling the phlox. Any suggestions? please & thank you
Thanks for your question Tawana. I'm wondering if your clover is oxalis like I have in my garden? It looks like clover. As soon as I see it come up I'm digging it out. I use a Hori-Hori knife because it it thin but strong and cleanly gets down to the corms (little bulb like roots) without destroying the sedum ground cover it's growing through. Hope this helps. P.s. The oxalis and bermuda grass always come back in the Demo Garden no matter how I try to stay ahead of them. :(
I will have to look up oxalis not sure what it is, This clover stuff I have even gets a white flower eventually like whats in my yard. Maybe we just call it clover here where i live when I pull it it also has crawled all over. thank you for your quick response :)
oooh, white flower is probably clover like you thought. Consistently hand pulling is going to be the most helpful. Since it sounds as if it is in the phlox at this point, you won't be able to heavily mulch it to try to cut off the sunlight to the clover. I don't know how large an area of phlox you have but it may be that you'll need to lift the phlox and get the clover out of it and then replant. I had to take out a huge area of plants and dig and remove Bermuda grass. It's such a bummer. Have you watched my video about managing weeds?This might help with weeds in general. Pulling the clover before it goes to seed is key. Let us know how it goes Tawana!
I feel SO stupid 😕 right now Mary. Thank you for doing this video... for ME lol! I have a question, what are the little green vines growing around on your ground there? Just curious b/c I adore vines! 😊
Omg! You are adorable. You have made my day and it's only 9 in the morning! :) You're welcome GM. And you are not alone! No one is born knowing this stuff. The green ground cover is Vinca minor 'Auropurpurea'. It has lovely deep purple flowers in spring and then occasionally later in the year. I was only digging in that area because our street is so loud with traffic all day that this was the quietest place to film. That Vinca usually looks so much more lush than in the video. I decided to do this video when I saw two burly, young men using their post hole digger to put several plants in confinement holes. Thank you so much for posting GM! -mary
This is very informative to a ditz, like me, who knows nothing about planting. Thank you. I didn't know about disturbing the soil and why it is important.
You aren't alone. Same here. 🙂
Thank you, Mary! I have watched so many gardening videos but they don't explain planting holes. I made my planting holes too small and did not disturb the soil. This is why my plants didn't survive. The fork trick is so useful for a small space. Also, do you acclimate your plants from the nursery before they go into the ground? I hear it's good to leave them in their original pots at the planting location for two weeks so that they get used to being outside since they are grown indoors.
You are so welcome BeesKnees! Sometimes I acclimate plants that are full sun loving but have been in the greenhouse as they grew up or if it's still very cold outside I will bring them under more open cover for a few days before planting out. But most of the time I plant them right away and shade them if needed. I put up frost cloth on the southwest side of the new plants (not on top of them as this will cook them) to let them get light but not full sun. About 4 days later (depending upon how hot it is) i remove the shade cloth. I use clothes pins to attach the cloth to stakes. I'm so happy you watched this video because the soil and the planting hole are way more important than most people realize. -mary
p.s. You can now watch my videos Ad-Free on Vimeo. You do not have to sign up for Vimeo to watch: vimeo.com/556642119
Great advice - thank you!
So helpful, thank you!
You're so welcome Maria. Thank you for watching and commenting!
Remember, you can watch The Gardening Tutor videos without ads on my Vimeo channel: vimeo.com/user139239939
-mary
What brand of compost did you use? I have a hard time finding one that is decent price.. Thank you so much for the great video
Hi Moniquebaby36, here in Santa Rosa CA we have several choices for suppliers of compost. Do you live here? If yes, I buy compost in bulk from Dryscape and Sequoia. If it was not so popular and sold out so often, my first choice would be Mango Mulch (no mangoes in it) from GrabnGrow. I have noticed that most bagged "compost" is not compost but small bark (sadly). -mary
I need help..I have clover taking over my creeping phlox. I have already sacrificed one phlox. the next year the clover spread to all my others. It's near impossible to pull out without pulling the phlox. Any suggestions? please & thank you
Thanks for your question Tawana. I'm wondering if your clover is oxalis like I have in my garden? It looks like clover. As soon as I see it come up I'm digging it out. I use a Hori-Hori knife because it it thin but strong and cleanly gets down to the corms (little bulb like roots) without destroying the sedum ground cover it's growing through. Hope this helps. P.s. The oxalis and bermuda grass always come back in the Demo Garden no matter how I try to stay ahead of them. :(
I will have to look up oxalis not sure what it is, This clover stuff I have even gets a white flower eventually like whats in my yard. Maybe we just call it clover here where i live when I pull it it also has crawled all over. thank you for your quick response :)
oooh, white flower is probably clover like you thought. Consistently hand pulling is going to be the most helpful. Since it sounds as if it is in the phlox at this point, you won't be able to heavily mulch it to try to cut off the sunlight to the clover. I don't know how large an area of phlox you have but it may be that you'll need to lift the phlox and get the clover out of it and then replant. I had to take out a huge area of plants and dig and remove Bermuda grass. It's such a bummer. Have you watched my video about managing weeds?This might help with weeds in general. Pulling the clover before it goes to seed is key. Let us know how it goes Tawana!
I feel SO stupid 😕 right now Mary. Thank you for doing this video... for ME lol!
I have a question, what are the little green vines growing around on your ground there? Just curious b/c I adore vines! 😊
Omg! You are adorable. You have made my day and it's only 9 in the morning! :) You're welcome GM. And you are not alone! No one is born knowing this stuff. The green ground cover is Vinca minor 'Auropurpurea'. It has lovely deep purple flowers in spring and then occasionally later in the year. I was only digging in that area because our street is so loud with traffic all day that this was the quietest place to film. That Vinca usually looks so much more lush than in the video. I decided to do this video when I saw two burly, young men using their post hole digger to put several plants in confinement holes. Thank you so much for posting GM! -mary