Frequently Asked Questions

How deep should I bury the rootball?

The root ball of any plant should be approximately 1/2 to 1 inch above the ground. Planting the root ball any deeper could cause slow drowning and/or suffocation of the roots. Make sure when planting that the dirt is gently packed in and wet down periodically while filling in the hole to prevent air pockets around the root ball.

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How much should I water my plants?

Water is the life blood of the plant and its presence is necessary for the absorption and transport of nutrients from the soil into the plant cells. To properly water a newly planted item, the soil must be saturated several feet below it's surface. For this reason, sprinkler systems designed to water your lawn (3-6 inches deep) will not adequately water newly planted shrubs and trees. This is a task best done by hand with a hose and a rain wand attachment that softens the force of the water as it comes out of the end of the hose. Not only will you be able to better judge the amount of water each plant is getting, but it also eliminates wasted water on plants close by that are already established and surviving on their own. Here are a few suggestions to help avoid over watering or under watering your newly planted items:


> For single plantings of trees, palms, or larger shrubs

1) Build a dirt berm around the root system of the plant forming a basin in which to water. Make sure the plant is slightly above ground level; no dirt or sand should be burying the root-ball or any part of the trunk. If the plant is planted too low, it will cause the plant to suffer and often die rather than root in and thrive. (See the How deep should I bury the root ball? section for more information on properly installing newly purchased plants).
2) Slowly fill the basin with water and allow it to soak in. Repeat the process until the soil has become saturated and is no longer taking in water quickly. 2-3 times should be adequate.
3) Continue to water the plant carefully making sure to keep it from stressing between watering and slowly wean the plant off of supplemental watering after it has resumed growth.

        >>Each day, check the top few inches of soil to see if they are dry. If so, water again as described above. If not, wait until the next day and check the soil again. Continue this process for at least the first month.

 
>For large newly planted areas of smaller items such as shrubs, flowers, and groundcovers:

Obviously, you don't water your newly planted petunia beds in the same manner as your 12 foot Maple tree. For newly planted beds and borders, sprinklers may be the most efficient way to water; however, sandy soils and clay soils with poor drainage need different amounts of water and the proper length of watering time may be a little more difficult to achieve with clay soils. For further instructions for watering plants in the different types of soils, read on:

>For sandy soils:

1) Water the plants to the point that water begins to stand or pool up on top of the soil's surface and allow it to soak in well, then repeat a few times.
2) Before watering again the next day, check several locations of the plant bed to make sure the top inch of the soil is dry to the touch. If you find moist or wet soil then wait until later that day or even the next day to water again.
3) Continue to water the plants while monitoring carefully until they have put on noticeable new growth. This can take from 1-3 weeks depending on care given. At that time, begin to cut back watering intervals, NOT LENGTH OF TIME. If you were watering 4 times a week cut back to 3 times a week, then to 2 times and so on until plants are surviving on their own. (Do not continue to water 4 times a week while just cutting the time back from 15 minutes per interval to 5 minutes).

>For Clay Soils:

Clay soils hold water and absorb the water from the sprinklers at a very slow rate. Follow the instructions for sandy soil above except water to the point of runoff (with clay this may only be a few minutes) allow the soil to soak up the water and then repeat. Do this 2-3 times to allow for saturation to the proper depth.

NOTE TO REMEMBER:
Shallow, frequent watering causes shallow and weak root systems and easily stressed and damaged plants
Deep, infrequent watering promotes healthy root systems and plants capable of resisting stress and drought.
See details on How often should I water my plants? to ensure that these factors are being considered when setting watering time each day.

>Under-watering:
If at any time plants are beginning to stress during the establishment period and the soil continues to be dry to the touch when you return the next day before watering again (which eliminates the problem of over watering), increase the length of time being watered. Do not allow plants to stress between watering. This is a sure sign that they are not receiving enough water to sustain themselves, much less the amount of water needed to begin to root into the surrounding soil and begin to grow.

Stressed plants due to lack of water should perk up within 30 minutes of watering provided they have not been severely neglected (as in the case you just returned from vacation to find dying plants). In this case, depending on how much damage was done, plants will take extra care to bring them back around. However, plants recover from lack of water quickly and should begin to show signs of re-growth within a few weeks of proper care.

>Over-watering:
If your plants are wilting despite the fact that you are watering daily, you may have been over-watering or the plants may have suffered during a heavy rain. Plants suffering from too much water often appear exactly the same as plants suffering from lack of water in its earliest stages. This is why it is so crucial to check the soil before watering to make sure it is dried out, if you are adding water to a plant that is already stressed from too much water in wet, water logged soils, the problem quickly goes from bad to worse!

If the plant is wilting with its leaves hanging downward and has turned an odd, almost olive green, there is still hope; pull back the mulched area and expose the soil to get it to dry out quickly. Do not water again until the top inch of the soil is dry to the touch.

If your plant has already gone from the olive green to a dark, shiny chocolate brown color (on some species of plants this can happen almost overnight with one heavy rain if planted in poorly draining soils) then you are not quite as fortunate. The plant at this stage is almost beyond professional help, your only hope is to get the soil dried out and remove the plant from the water logged area and wait to see weather the leaves remain sticking to the branches or if they begin to fall off. If the leaves stick to the branches, its pretty much a goner, but just in case: check the stems for any signs of life by bending them to check for flexibility. If they bend easily without breaking, you have live stems that will eventually grow new leaves. If, however, you have brittle stems that snap when bending, they are dead. If you have any live stems, the plant will eventually re-grow, but may take three to twelve months to recover. Chances are that once the plant reaches the stage of chocolate brown leaves, its root system has rotted beyond repair and is as good as dead. However, if the leaves begin to fall within a few days of the soil drying out then the damage did not go too far and the plant will recover much quicker when replanted into better draining soils or planted in a raised berm of sandy soil above the wet soils during the rain season.

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How often should I water my plants?

Believe it or not, some plants actually let you know when they need more water: grass blades fold together and turn a dull sage green, Crape Myrtles' leaves wilt and turn down out of alignment with the sun, Impatiens wither, and Variegated Shell Ginger folds its leaves in half. The signs on some plants are visible while on others they remain almost in perfect form until its almost too late to save them (e.g. consider the length of time a cut Christmas tree takes before showing signs of stress from inadequate water).
If you're not up to guess work, or the plant you've installed doesn't come with a built in indicator, there is a simple way to know when to water... pull the mulch back under the foliage of the plant and test the soil for moisture. If the top inch of the soil is dry its time to water again! If its still damp from watering and/or rain the day before, skip that day and test again tomorrow.

Remember:
The top 1" of the soil is dry to the touch = Needs more water now
The top 1" of the soil is wet to the touch = Wait until tomorrow to water

A plant's watering requirements vary:

1) THE PLANT'S SPECIFIC NEEDS
Every plant is site-specific (it was created to grow in a particular climate under specific circumstances). There is a plant for nearly every area on our planet! Plants grow on mountain tops and in valleys, in deserts and in waterways, forests and open plains, each plant growing in its own habitat. Knowing a plant's needs before you purchase it is necessary in order to properly care for them.
2) THE SOIL COMPONENTS
Sandy soil will require daily watering even for drought resistant plants to establish themselves in the landscape. Clay soils hold water and must be watched more carefully, so as to avoid over watering the plant—especially during periods of heavy rain. The soil must be allowed to dry out before watering again.
3) THE WEATHER
Consider sun exposure, winds, the heat index, and cloud cover as all of these have an effect on the rate at which plants loose moisture. Water evaporates faster during times of extreme heat or high winds.
4) DAILY RAINFALL MEASURES
Perhaps the biggest variable of all is the amount of water that plants have received from rainfall. Although most of us in Florida—where the summer sun is relentless—find it a welcome relief from the daily chore of watering newly planted items, the rains also bring with them the danger of over watering. Before a plant has its root system spread out from the containerized root system it had when it was potted, they are more susceptible to damage and can drown in soil filled with water where air would have otherwise been.

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When should I fertilize?

A plant should only be fertilized every six to nine months depending on the fertilizer. Some plants require more frequent fertilization, but a majority of plants do not. After installing a new plant or tree, you should not fertilize for approximately two to three months, as doing so will burn the new roots rather than stimulate growth.

Also, too frequent fertilization can provide far more nutrients than required at one time. This does not help the plant at all! Just like our bodies need iron, too much iron could kill us. Even so, plants need Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg), Nitrogen (N), etc. but not a whole bag at one time! A general purpose 10-10-10 fertilizer should do the trick, but you can also have the fertilizer customized to your plants' specifications (i.e. Palms require a special blend while African Violets require a very weak blend).

As a rule of thumb, if the plants start to yellow or lose color or they become less responsive to watering, they probably need to be fertilized.

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How much fertilizer should I use?

The amount of fertilizer applied to any plant is based on the type of plant it is. For instance, a 25 ft. Ligustrum Patio tree requires more fertilizer than an Antique Rose bush. You generally want to follow the directions on the back of the fertilizer bag or container. It is always better to slightly under-fertilize a plant than to over-fertilize. Too much fertilizer will burn a plant's root system and will result in the possible death of the entire plant.

Also, the type of fertilizer determines the amount. A powdered or quick-release fertilizer must be applied in lighter quantities than a granular, slow-release fertilizer.

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What kind of fertilizer should I use?

The type of fertilizer you use is based on the plants you will use it on. A Queen Palm needs a different blend of nutrients than a Tea Rose which requires a different fertilizer than a Hawaiian Ti, and so on and so forth. Most fertilizers come premixed and labeled according to their chemical compounds (i.e. 10-10-10 or 10-12-3, etc.). Many plants can take the generic 10-10-10 while some others prefer a more customized blend.

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What kind of damage can insects cause?

Depending on the type of insect, they can cause anything from the munching of a few leaves to the death of an entire oak tree. Caterpillars only eat the leaves of a few select plants based on the species, Scale sucks the life out of a palm, and Bore worm destroys the mighty oaks. However depressing this may sound, only a tiny 1% of insects are actually pests. Of course, you may not think so, but you usually take notice of only the bad bugs that you constantly fight rather than noticing the good bugs that stay in hiding. This means that 99% of insects are helpful, so think twice before spraying and make sure that you are killing the bad guys and not the good ones.

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How should I deal with scale?

Scale is a type of insect that attacks many plants. Over 430 species of hard and soft Scale exist in the United States with about 175 of those species found in Florida alone. They can cover a majority of the plants they attack, and they suck the 'juices' out of the leaves or fronds, eventually leading to the plant's death if left untreated. As bad as that sounds, cheer up! It's not hopeless. Scale can be treated and in some cases prevented.

The armored scale is the hardest to control due to a thick waxy coating that creates their 'armor.' Many products are available to control Scale. For an extensive explanation and a comprehensive list of the chemicals to remove scale, visit the University of Florida website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG005 to learn more.
>> Photo used with permission. Photo by UF/IFAS Extension- Dr. Doug Caldwell
*Is this link broken or misdirected? Let us know!*

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What should I do about Mites?

Spider Mites are very tiny and sometimes hard to notice. They generally cause the plant's foliage to get small white or yellow spots which eventually lead to the premature dropping of the leaves. The easiest way to treat them is to spray down the plant with a hose simulating a heavy rain fall. This usually knocks off most of the spiders. Also, an oil can be purchased at Lowe's or Home Depot called "Neem Oil." This oil should be mixed in small portions at a time, as it's effectiveness lasts only one day. It should be applied to the infested plant every two to four days for about four weeks to ensure the control of both adult and newly hatched mites.
*This image is highly magnified. Photo courtesy of GreenMethods.com

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How can I get rid of caterpillars?

Caterpillars are most often looked upon as garden pests (and rightly so), but you must keep in mind at the same time that the ugly, pesky caterpillar may turn into a beautiful butterfly. Try to plant some milkweed or other such plant that the caterpillar can feast on without damaging your ornamental plants.

Before spraying your plants, think about whether or not you would like to have butterflies in your garden. Although the caterpillars may cause damage to a plant, the plant will grow back. However, if you do desire to rid your garden of the caterpillars, you can purchase an insect and caterpillar killer. The spray is not expensive, and will usually kill most of the caterpillars with only one well done application. BUT, be careful when applying such multi-insect killing sprays as only 1% of bugs are really pests, so keep this in mind when buying your spray. Also, you can use Pyrethrum, Malathion or Derris.

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What can I do about slugs and snails?

Slugs and snails are fairly easy to get rid of. You can do one of two things. One common treatment is to place a pie pan full of a generic slug killer; a safer option is to purchase slug traps in which you can place the poison. This is usually a syrup-like concoction that attracts the slugs, then drowns or poisons them. Another method that is said to be effective (though we do not necessarily condone it) is to put any type of stale beer or alcohol into the pie pan or trap. It is said that the beer attracts the snails, and the alcohol content kills them.

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What is leaf miner?

Leaf Miner is a type of insect that hollows or "mines" out the leaves of plants. It enters through the side of the leaf and eats the inside. This is noticed by the tiny maze-like pattern in the leaf, often visible from both the top and bottom of the leaf. If left untreated, the continual mining out of the leaves will result in the starvation of the plant, and ultimately lead to its death.

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