With the fall planting season approaching, I thought it might be helpful to review the dos and don’ts of planting annual and perennial flowers, evergreen and flowering shrubs, and ornamental, shade, and evergreen trees.
Before you begin planting, it is a state law that you call the Joint Utility Locator Service. They will ask you a series of questions about your property and the type of work that you plan to do. They will then give you a number that verifies that you called. Shortly after you call (within two working days), the utilities that are on your property will be marked.
The utilities are marked with paint on the ground and/or flags. Red signifies electricity, yellow signifies gas, orange signifies telephone or cable lines, green signifies sewer, and blue signifies water. The number to request a JULIE locate is 800-892-0123. This is a free service. For more information, consider visiting their website www.illinois1call.com
Before planting any shrub, be sure that your planting location provides the proper soil, light, and water requirements for the shrub you’ve chosen.
The first very important step in planting any shrub is proper soil preparation. Soil with inadequate nutrients can dramatically affect plants. If you are planting several shrubs, you can spread 2” of peat moss then 2” of mushroom compost over the entire planting area, then work it into the soil with a roto-tiller or by hand with a shovel. If you are planting a single shrub, it is easier just to add the peat moss and mushroom compost after you dig the hole. Mushroom compost is a great organic soil amendment that adds valuable nutrients to the soil.
When planting a plant that is in a container, dig the hole as deep as the container and at least twice as wide. Tip the plant on its side and carefully remove it from its container. If it seems that the roots are starting to grow in a circle, use a knife and make three pie piece cuts at the bottom of the plant into the root system. This helps redirect the roots outward so they do not eventually strangle the plant. Set the plant in the hole, making sure its crown (the point where the trunk meets the roots) is level with or slightly higher than the surface of the surrounding soil. If the trunk is buried, it will rot. Fill in the hole and slightly cover the top of the roots with a mixture of 1/3 mushroom compost, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 of the soil you dug out of the hole. Tamp down lightly, but do not compact.
Larger shrubs and trees are usually sold with the roots wrapped in burlap. This type of plant is called bagged and burlap. When planting a plant that is B&B, dig a planting hole at least 6” wider all around the root ball. Do not dig deeper than the depth of the root ball. Carefully place the tree or shrub in the hole and face it for the best aesthetic view.
Remove any twine or rope that is around the crown or trunk. If the burlap is synthetic, remove that also. Burlap made of natural fibers may be left on. If the ball has a wire cage around it, that may be left on also. Cut away the top portion of burlap or fold it down into the planting hole. Fill the hole and slightly cover the top of the roots with a mixture of 1/3 mushroom compost, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 of the soil you dug out of the hole. Tamp down lightly, but do not compact.
After planting, thoroughly water the plants. For larger shrubs and trees, you can lay the end of the hose at the base of the plant and allow a medium stream of water to run for about 20 minutes, thoroughly soaking the plant.
New plants may benefit from being mulched. One inch of mulch is appropriate around perennial flowers. Two inches of mulch is an adequate amount around trees and shrubs. Annual flowers do not generally need mulch.
Timing of planting is a much-discussed issue. Personally, I do all of my own planting in the fall. Trees and shrubs can be planted into early November. We try to plant perennial flowers by mid-to-late October but have had success planting them later. Fall mums and spring bulbs can be planted from September through October.
If you have perennial flowers in a planting container above ground, you may want to take them out of the container and plant them in the ground by the end of October. This will ensure they have the best chance of coming back next year. Your evergreen trees and shrubs may benefit from an application of anti-desiccant spray this fall. It adds a waxy layer to the needles to help protect them from drying out this winter.
• Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc., a garden center and landscaping company. She can be reached by calling 815-923-7322 or tgsinc12@msn.com. Have a gardening question? Please contact her. She may address it in an upcoming column.
