topic Re: HOW TO DIG A HOLE! in Garden

HOW TO DIG A HOLE!

Gabidog — Sat, 23 Mar 2019 13:50:04 GMT

Q garden shows are nearly done for this year but next year I hope there is less emphasis on how to dig a hole in a pot of loose soil and more information about plant care and location where to dig that hole. I often am interested in a plant and have to wait until the end of the presentationn to hear if it requires sun or shade. And the online description is also lacking much needed information.

Re: HOW TO DIG A HOLE!

gardenman — Sat, 23 Mar 2019 15:27:40 GMT

It would also be nice if they used common and scientific names for the plants which would allow you to research them in books or online. I haven't watched any of the gardening shows this year, but in the past they tended to rename plants in their own unique way which made researching them more than a bit challenging.

Re: HOW TO DIG A HOLE!

silkyk — Sat, 23 Mar 2019 15:37:49 GMT

I think it's kinda silly to show fake plants to sell real ones.

Re: HOW TO DIG A HOLE!

mousiegirl — Sat, 30 Mar 2019 00:17:34 GMT

@Gabidog wrote:
Q garden shows are nearly done for this year but next year I hope there is less emphasis on how to dig a hole in a pot of loose soil and more information about plant care and location where to dig that hole. I often am interested in a plant and have to wait until the end of the presentationn to hear if it requires sun or shade. And the online description is also lacking much needed information.

@Gabidog The rule of thumb is to plant as deep as the pot it is in and twice as wide.

Re: HOW TO DIG A HOLE!

gardenman — Sat, 30 Mar 2019 11:29:20 GMT

@mousiegirl wrote:
@Gabidog wrote:
Q garden shows are nearly done for this year but next year I hope there is less emphasis on how to dig a hole in a pot of loose soil and more information about plant care and location where to dig that hole. I often am interested in a plant and have to wait until the end of the presentationn to hear if it requires sun or shade. And the online description is also lacking much needed information.

@Gabidog The rule of thumb is to plant as deep as the pot it is in and twice as wide.

Actually, it's best to plant the pots a tick elevated from their old level. Most plants survive best planted a bit higher than they were growing. An exception would be a tomato plant which will rapidly root along its whole stem, but most perennials, shrubs and trees are better off being planted a bit higher, say a half inch to an inch higher. You don't want to smother/bury the crown of most plants.

Re: HOW TO DIG A HOLE!

Sweetbay magnolia — Sat, 30 Mar 2019 11:57:26 GMT

With 30 years in the nursery business, I can tell you the #1 reason for failure in transplants was improper planting depth (and not loosening perimeter soil, and not breaking up the roots of container plants prior to planting). #2 was improper watering.

Re: HOW TO DIG A HOLE!

mousiegirl — Sat, 30 Mar 2019 18:01:33 GMT

@gardenman wrote:
@mousiegirl wrote:
@Gabidog wrote:
Q garden shows are nearly done for this year but next year I hope there is less emphasis on how to dig a hole in a pot of loose soil and more information about plant care and location where to dig that hole. I often am interested in a plant and have to wait until the end of the presentationn to hear if it requires sun or shade. And the online description is also lacking much needed information.

@Gabidog The rule of thumb is to plant as deep as the pot it is in and twice as wide.
Actually, it's best to plant the pots a tick elevated from their old level. Most plants survive best planted a bit higher than they were growing. An exception would be a tomato plant which will rapidly root along its whole stem, but most perennials, shrubs and trees are better off being planted a bit higher, say a half inch to an inch higher. You don't want to smother/bury the crown of most plants.

@gardenman When the plant in the hole is the right height, that is when it is planted. DH has dug holes and when he inserted the plant, the hole was too deep, so had him fill in the hole some. We have to plant everything in wire baskets to boot.

Re: HOW TO DIG A HOLE!

JustJazzmom — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 04:19:39 GMT

The theory to planting high is because the soil will settle & of course the plant will settle along with it. I generally plant high or at the level the plant should be. I tamp down the soil pretty well to eliminate air pockets.

Generally nursery field practices end up hiding where the natural tree flare is of trees because the soil gets put over it, when the tree is balled & burlapped.

People should gently remove the soil from around the tree flare & plant the tree so its above the soil.

Many are told to plant the plant at the level it was in a pot. But again, the plant might have been planted too deeply in that pot to start with.

Roses that are grafted might have a visible graft if they are in a container. That graft union should be planted below the surface.

Everyone, if possible should always inspect your plant before it goes into the ground — roots teased away from the center & spread out, to give one example.

Re: HOW TO DIG A HOLE!

gardenman — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 10:22:21 GMT

Yeah. It's pretty much impossible to hurt a plant planting it high, but very easy to harm many/most plants planting them too deeply. If you leave a balled and burlap wrapped plant, or even a potted plant with drain holes, sitting on the ground for an extended period, the plant will root itself into the ground and grow. Plants are very good at adapting to being planted high, but not so good at adapting when planted too deeply. There are always exceptions though. A very common exception is the tomato which can be nearly completely buried, and hybrid grafted roses where planting deeper may help protect the bud union. For most plants you're smarter erring on the high side though when planting them.

Re: HOW TO DIG A HOLE!

Gabidog — Sun, 07 Apr 2019 12:10:20 GMT

Not sure why there are posts about how to dig a hole when my original post requests information on plant care...not digging a hole. Oh well.

Re: HOW TO DIG A HOLE!

gizmogal — Sun, 07 Apr 2019 12:21:40 GMT

@Gabidog wrote:
Not sure why there are posts about how to dig a hole when my original post requests information on plant care...not digging a hole. Oh well.

I think you’re missing the point of these posts and consistent advice: digging a hole to place the plant at proper depth is the first step of ongoing “plant care”, as you put it. If the planting depth is improper, the plant will not thrive or survive long enough for what you think of as ongoing care to be relevant.

No one is ignoring your plea to abandon hole digging emphasis, as much as trying to point out the hole is fundamental to success. If you don’t think so, you’ll need a lot more help with plant care as your own plants will do poorly from being planted carelessly deep or too shallow or rootbound. Be less resistant to basics.

Re: HOW TO DIG A HOLE!

Gabidog — Tue, 09 Apr 2019 11:38:30 GMT

One more try. Not saying the hole depth and size is not important but every plant presentation has them digging a hole while ignoring how much sun, how much water, weekly care, etc. And to look at the online description it states to check the plant guide which is not available online for viewers to see. Anyway, I have a lot of holes to dig so bye bye!

Re: HOW TO DIG A HOLE!

EatWell — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 15:48:15 GMT

@Gabidog wrote:
Q garden shows are nearly done for this year but next year I hope there is less emphasis on how to dig a hole in a pot of loose soil and more information about plant care and location where to dig that hole. I often am interested in a plant and have to wait until the end of the presentationn to hear if it requires sun or shade. And the online description is also lacking much needed information.

@Gabidog

You do not have to complain much longer. C.F and R’s will soon be gone, and no longer be an iritant to you.

BTW, you do know the description and planting direction are online in the product detail?

What I do is follow along the presentation on my tablet.

Hope you enjoy the planting season.

I use a spade shovel to dig a hole for large plants, or Better Diggler 6 in 1 for small plants.

Best to purchase your plant material for a local nursery where master gardeners are available to answer your specific questions.

Good luck with your plantings.

Re: HOW TO DIG A HOLE!

JustJazzmom — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 16:02:54 GMT

I would say in larger nurseries, there are people with Horticulture degrees to answer your questions. Most Master Gardeners are either giving lectures to the public or answering questions at Extension & are generally not employees of nurseries.

Lucky people when I am at a Home Depot purchasing mulch, if I see someone who looks like they need assistance in choosing a plant, I might go over & answer questions. The people at those big box stores are generally saleshelp, not people with Horticulture degrees or gardening experience. Maybe the buyer has that degree.

Re: HOW TO DIG A HOLE!

Allegheny — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 12:53:16 GMT

@Gabidog

I get what you are saying. It would be great if the vendors from Robertas' and Cottage Farms would touch on some of the specifics of the plants' requirements. I have noticed the lack of basic information. ie. sun, soil, and water requirements, etc. Sometimes they tell us; sometimes they don't and there is not always a planting guide listed under the online description.

I don't know why this is. It seems to me that most professional gardeners are more than eager to pass on important information. Perhaps it is the push to sell expected by the Q; or the constant interruption by the show's host that causes distraction.

Re: HOW TO DIG A HOLE!

Gabidog — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 18:24:10 GMT

Thank you allegheny...finally someone understands . Often when I comment on a topic under that topic the responders just seem to want to be nasty. If people are happy with the online descriptions of plant care and watching holes being dug in a pot of loose soil...fine. I believe on air and online presentations should have more information than what is currently being told. Isn't that why they are on air and online?

Re: HOW TO DIG A HOLE!

ValuSkr — Sat, 13 Apr 2019 00:35:08 GMT

@Gabidog I whole-heartedly agree with you. The "planting demonstrations" I've seen on Q are ridiculous. They put the plant in a pot of loose potting soil, which takes about three seconds, while telling viewers "see how easy it is!" Well, of course it's easy! Not to diminish the importance of proper planting, but the demonstration adds nothing to anyone's understanding.