Plant Care Guide

Thank you for choosing one of our plants. Every plant has been carefully grown and packed to arrive in the best possible condition. This guide covers:

• Outdoor plants (deciduous shrubs & trees, perennials, rose bushes)
• Indoor plants
• Bulbs
• Edible plants
• Bare-root plants
• Live wreaths
• Pot-grown Christmas trees
  
  

Bedding Plants 

Ideal for keeping the garden colourful year round, bedding plants can be planted in flower beds, raised beds, borders, containers or hanging baskets, as long as they have enough space, so they can grow and spread their roots. Plant spring bedding in late spring after the last frost, plant summer bedding after the risk of frost has passed, and plant winter bedding from September to early October, before the first frost to allow the plants to establish a strong root system using the residual warmth of the soil.

To plant, simply prepare the soil by removing any weeds, and dig small, evenly spaced, holes for each plant. Carefully remove the plants from their pots or spaces in their carry packs and place them in the holes, making sure the top of the root ball is level with the soil. Gently firm down the soil around the plants, making sure they are securely in place and water thoroughly after planting.

One of the great things about bedding plants is how easy and low maintenance they are to grow. The only attention they may need is watering and feeding.

Fruit & Ornamental Trees

Apple Trees

Growing apples requires full sun and well-drained soil, to prevent the roots getting soggy. A nice, deep watering once a week, more often if the weather is hot, less if the ground has been sitting wet in the winter, will help the tree get established and keep it happy throughout the year.

Caring for a fruit tree involves regular watering, mulching, feeding, pruning, and pest/disease management. Consistently water deeply to maintain moist, not wet, soil and apply a layer of organic mulch to retain moisture and suppress weeds. 

Part of Golden Delicious apple tree care is to be sure to thin out the fruit in the spring. The trees branches can break under the weight of the excess of fruit they produce. 

With proper watering, some fertiliser in the spring, and a light pruning in the winter, your apple tree will start producing viable fruit within four to six years of planting, or when trees reach about 8 feet tall.   

Acer Japanese Maple

In general, Japanese maples are hardy but do best in a spot sheltered from strong winds. Darker coloured varieties, such as red and purple cultivars need more sunlight, as this helps to fully develop the colour of the leaves. 

Any variegation on the leaves of Japanese maples means they will need to be protected more, and require partial shade to prevent the afternoon sun from scorching their foliage. 

Acers will be fine in most soils, however, for the best results grow them in slightly acidic humus-rich, well-drained soils. You can improve your soil by digging in well-rotted organic matter such as garden compost or bags of garden centre soil improver. 

Once you have planted acers, water in the tree to settle the soil and continue watering regularly, especially in dry weather, during the first summer. 

You can also grow in containers. Ensure good drainage, and keep the compost moist, but not soaking wet. Feed in spring and early summer with a slow-release fertiliser or liquid feed.

Azaleas

Azaleas require a sheltered spot in partial shade, humus-rich, neutral to acidic soil that's moist but well-drained.

To plant, dig a hole wider than it is deep and backfill with soil mixed with a little leaf mould or peat-free ericaceous compost. They’re shallow-rooted plants, so ensure the rootball sits just below the surface, and water well. Water rainwater as much as possible – tap water might be too alkaline. 

Mulch azaleas annually with an acidic mix of leaf mould, peat-free ericaceous compost or conifer bark chippings. For pot-grown azaleas, replace the top layer of compost, or repot completely in spring and feed with an ericaceous fertiliser. There should be little or no need to prune but deadheading will improve the look of your azalea, while also encouraging it to bloom for longer.

Hanging baskets are a great way to add more interest to the garden, especially one that is short on space. To plant your hanging baskets, first select a basket.  If your basket doesn’t come lined, lay moss or a liner inside the frame.

Cut holes into the liner at varying heights, at least 10cm up from the base. The spaces between the frame of your basket will determine the size of plants you can use. Planting through the sides is not essential, but it helps the basket look fuller more quickly.

Add your compost to the level of the cut holes, then wrap newspaper around the root balls of your plants and push them through the holes into the basket. Add extra compost to cover the roots and gently firm it down.

Add more compost and plant short or trailing plants around the edge and taller plants in the centre. Fill in around them with compost so the final compost level is just slightly below the rim of the basket.

Water slowly but thoroughly before hanging it up, using a watering can with a fine rose to prevent the soil being disturbed. Check the compost regularly - hanging baskets may need watering daily during hot summer weather. If the basket is too heavy to lift up and down easily, water using a hose on a fine spray setting.

Climbing Plants

When it comes to climbers, there are two main types: self-clinging and twining varieties. 

Self-clinging climbers will naturally adhere to a climbing surface using their aerial roots or adhesive pads, some examples being Hedera Ivy, and Climbing hydrangeas. Plants like Virginia Creeper have adhesive pads along the stems, which allows them to cling to walls or woodwork without the need for a full support structure. Always ensure to plant at least 30cm away from the base of the wall or fence to allow rainwater to reach the roots and allow space for root development.

Plants like Honeysuckle, Clematis, Jasmine and Wisteria are Twining Climbers, which means they grow by wrapping themselves around poles, wires or trellis. These plants require a framework to wind around and climb up.

Some ideas for twining climber support include, installing horizontal wires across a wall or fence, things like wooden trellises and archways, which can add a particular visual interest to your space, or an obelisk.

When looking for climbing plants for your space, make sure you go with something with an eventual height and spread similar to the space you intend to grow it in.. Be particularly wary of using large-growing, vigorous varieties in smaller spaces or growing them through mature shrubs or trees that may not be sufficiently strong to hold their weight when fully grown.

Though different climbers will have individual care needs, most don’t like to dry out, so always check that they are getting sufficient water, as growing close to a wall they're often sheltered from some rainfall.

Rose Bushes

Our roses, which are potted, can be planted in your garden all year round, but always as soon as possible after it arrives with you.

Location 

Find a sunny spot, which gets at least four hours of sunlight a day, with free-draining soil, that does not dry out completely, especially during the summer months. Avoid anywhere that is overly exposed or very windy. 

Choose somewhere that will allow your rose enough space so it doesn’t have to compete for water and light - about 60cm. Patio and miniature roses can planted in containers

Planting your Rose

For each rose, dig a hole that is roughly twice the width of the plant's roots and the container it came in. Before planting, carefully tease out the roots - this allows the plants roots to extend easier - and place the rose in the centre of the hole, ensuring the graft union (where the cultivar joins the rootstock) is just at or above soil level. Back-fill the hole gently after planting.

Caring for Your Rose 

During the spring, apply a dressing of a general or rose fertiliser at around 100g per sqm, repeating the application in the mid-summer should growth slow.

Follow feeding with mulching, ideally with well-rotted stable manure, in a layer of up to 8cm deep. Keep the mulch clear of the rose stems, leaving at least 10cm gap between the mulch and stems

Always make sure to water well in dry spells for at least two summers after planting

Pruning

Prune back in the first winter after planting, from late winter to early spring. With all roses, first remove dead, damaged and weak growths, and then:

Hybrid tea Roses - Prune any remaining strong stems hard back to 10-15cm from ground level

Floribunda Roses - Prune the remaining strong stems moderately hard back to about 15cm from ground level

Ramblers and climbers - Prune remaining strong stems back to around 30-40cm from ground level. 

Onion Sets

For planting your onion sets in Autumn, choose a sunny planting site, in soil that drains well to ensure that your sets do not get waterlogged through winter, and weed thoroughly. Onions don’t do well in acidic soil so if necessary reduce acidity. As onions have a limited root system, it can help your crop to improve the soil with lots of organic matter before planting – about a bucket of garden compost or well-rotted manure per square metre.

Gently push your sets into loose soil, so the tip is just showing at the surface. Space them 5–10cm apart, in rows at least 25–30cm apart. 

Onions can also be grown in large containers if you don't have the garden space, or the soil is too damp for planting. Ensure you plant your sets in a container that’s at least 45cm wide and deep.

Once planted, the onion sets can be mostly left to their own devices, watering only if the soil becomes bone dry in autumn, as we want to prevent overwatering, as this can encourage fungal diseases. You will need to water more frequently in the Spring as the soil will dry out quicker. 

Make sure to remove any flower stems as soon as they start to form, otherwise the plant’s energy will be spent producing the flower rather than swelling the bulb, and reduce the onions ability to store.

Raspberry Canes

Raspberry canes are best planted November-March whilst dormant, though always make sure to wait if the soil is frozen or waterlogged, as this prevents their roots from establishing properly.

• Rehydrate the roots on arrival by standing the canes in a bucket of water for up to an hour.
  
• Plant your canes in rows at least 5ft apart, with the roots well spread out in each planting hole, setting the plants out 40cm apart, with the uppermost roots no more than 5cm below soil level.
  
• Carefully backfill your trench with soil, firming gently around the roots to make sure you have eliminated any air pockets.
  
• Cut the stems back so that they about 25cm above soil level. Your plants will establish much better if they are not allowed to fruit in their first season.

Garlic Bulbs

Garlic is best planted in late autumn or early winter, as it needs a period of cold for healthy bulb development. 

Prepare a planting site in a sunny spot with well-draining soil, remove any weeds, then improve the soil by digging in organic matter like well rotted manure or garden compost. Carefully split your garlic bulbs into individual cloves and be sure to plant them the right way up, with the flat end downwards and the pointed end upwards. 

Space the cloves 15cm apart, with the tip an inch below the soil surface and space rows 30cm apart.

Once they have been planted, garlic needs little maintenance. Water during dry spells in spring or summer, and stop watering once the bulbs are large and well formed as this could cause some rotting.  Once the foliage starts to yellow, the bulbs are starting to reach this stage of maturity. 

Garlic needs full sun, so weed regularly to ensure plants don’t get shaded. This is best done by hand or, to reduce the need for weeding, consider planting through weed-suppressing membrane or lay a mulch, such as cardboard, between rows.

Remove any flower stems as soon as they start to form, otherwise the plant’s energy will go into producing the flower rather than swelling the bulb, and can also impact the bulbs ability to store.

Garlic bulbs are ready to harvest once the leaves have turned yellow. Autumn-planted garlic is ready in early summer and spring-planted from mid-summer to early autumn.

Bare Root Perennials

How to plant

• Soak your bare roots for up to an hour in water to rehydrate the roots.
  
• Choose your location, in the ground, or in pots or planters. Make sure you choose a pot that is several times larger than the root ball and fill about halfway with a soil/compost mix.
  
• Loosen your soil using a fork or spade and dig a hole that is several inches wider and deeper than the root ball.
  
• Create a mound of loose soil in the middle of the hole and set the roots on top of the mound, distributing the roots evenly. When you backfill, ensure the crown of the plant is even with or just underneath the soil level and water to ensure the plant settles and that the area around the roots remains moist.
  
• Settle the plant into the pot, taking care to distribute the roots evenly and backfill so that the crown is level with or just underneath the soil. Water well and place the pot in an area where it will receive at least 10 hours of light per day.

Once you’ve planted out your bare root perennial, you’ll need to fertilise the plants twice during their first growing season – the first when they have had at least 3 sets of leaves and the second at midsummer. Ideally, you should use a liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength.

You’ll need to keep your newly planted perennials well-watered throughout summer, at least one good soaking per week if it hasn’t rained. You can also shelter the plants from the hottest periods of sunlight by placing a shelter such as a laundry basket over them for a couple of hours per day.

Keep an eye out for pests and treat accordingly but other than that, your plants should establish themselves and grow stronger each year as the seasons go by.

On the whole, perennials are hardy and can grow in a wide variety of spaces including partial or full sun, as long as the soil is well-fertilized and free draining.

If you want to plant your bare root perennials out into the garden section where they’ll grow permanently, you’ll need to prepare the soil as follows:

Planting a Bare Root Hedge

How to plant

• Bare root hedging is best planted in their dormant season, from autumn to early spring.
  
• Soak the plants on arrival in a bucket of water for up to an hour before planting to rehydrate the roots.
  
• Clear the planting area of any grass, weeds, or debris and dig a trench around the width of your spade, deep enough to accommodate the roots.
  
• Place your bare root in the trench, making sure that the soil covers the roots.
  
• Carefully backfill your trench with soil, firming gently around the roots to make sure you have eliminated any air pockets.
  
• Water thoroughly and mulch around the base to retain moisture and help suppress any weeds.

In order to get a good quality, dense hedge plant 7 bare roots per meter of hedging required.

Flower Bulbs 

Spring Flowering Bulbs

Plant your spring flowering bulbs in the autumn, from late August to December, intending to plant them 6 to 8 weeks before the ground freezes and well before the first hard frost, to allow roots to establish.

Summer flowering Bulbs

Plant your summer bulbs in the spring after the last frost, from around March to May, when the soil begins to warm up. For an earlier start, you can plant them in pots indoors or in a greenhouse from late winter and transfer them outside once the weather is warm enough. 

How to Plant Your Bulbs

Dig a hole that is two to three times as deep as the bulb is tall, and place the bulb with the pointed end up.Space the bulbs about twice their width apart, and backfill the hole with soil, gently firming it down. For a more natural look, scatter the bulbs and plant them where they land

• In well draining soil, dig a hole that is about two to three times the depth of the bulb's height. 
• Place the bulb in the hole, ensuring the top of the bulb, where it will shoot, is facing upwards. If the top isn't obvious, it's okay to plant it on its side, as the shoot will find its way up. 
• Ensure they are spaced out, generally at least twice their width apart to give them room to grow. 
• Once you have placed your bulbs, cover with soil and gently firm in with your hands or a rake, and avoid treading on it. 
• If the soil is dry, water the bulbs well to help stimulate root growth. During the autumn, rainfall is often sufficient

Lasagne Planting 

A flower bulbs layering method to create vivid, eye catching displays!

Create a colourful combination of flowers by planting different bulbs at different layers in your pots! Choose flowers that all bloom at the same time for one, single display of colour, or stagger your blooming with bulbs that flower at different times.

Choose a well-draining container and either place a layer of gravel at the bottom to improve drainage or start with a well-drained potting mix. Make sure to firm your soil down lightly around your bulbs between each layer.

Cactus & Succulents

In general, succulent care is very simple - keep them in warm, sunny, dry conditions and they will thrive. Cacti and succulents have evolved to cope with drought, meaning they don't need watering nearly as regularly as other house plants, and over-watering them can impact their health. For most, the rule is to water from spring to autumn only, and let the compost dry out completely between watering.

To add to the arid, desert look and stop damp soil touching the leaves, which can cause them to rot, add some mulch to the soil when you repot your succulents. Use horticultural grit, shells or another dry material and sprinkle over all of the compost, covering it. 

Keep your plants out of overly cold conditions, as this can also cause them to rot, and through overwatering can damage the plants, so can underwatering. Keep an eye out for the plants shrivelling, and if it has been a very long time since their last watering, give them some water.

Cacti and succulents utilise a method of photosynthesis that is ideal for dry conditions, but is quite inefficient, this causes them to be slow growing in comparison to other plants. Pruning usually isn't necessary most of the time, but you can prune them if growth is getting unruly, or to maintain a pleasing shape.

Air plants

Air plants can be kept and displayed indoors without any soil necessary. They are best suited to humidity, so one popular use for them is displayed in a bathroom, where humidity from the shower helps keep them moist, along with a light misting every now and then.

In less humid locations, these should be soaked and submerged in water for about 20 mins every 1-2 weeks in the summer, closer to 3 weeks in the winter when they require less water

They can be fed with a diluted liquid fertiliser specifically formulated for air plants or bromeliads, which can simply be applied to the water you're spraying onto the leaves or dunking the plant into. It's a good idea to fertilise air plants once a month in spring and summer. Follow the instructions on the fertiliser package for the correct dilution rate and application method.

Winter Houseplant Care

The winter is your houseplants off season, where they rest, grow less, need less water and generally be very low maintenance. 

Caring for your plants in the winter means watering less, making sure they get plenty of light, halting any feeding and keeping them not too cold, but not too hot either.

Water Less

Your indoor plants are not very thirsty in the winter, as they aren’t growing anymore. Watering when not necessary in the winter and letting your plants sit in wet soil can risk root rot. Halt all watering until the top two to three inches of soil are dry, which may take weeks!

You’ll also need to stop any feeding, as plants only need to be fed whilst they’re growing, you can resume when spring arrives.

Sun & Warmth 

The shorter winter days means less sun, so it always helps to maximise access to light. Make sure they are in a nice sunny spot by a window, don’t worry about scorching, winter sun - even direct - is weaker than intense summer sun and is unlikely to scorch leaves.

If you're worried it's still a bit low light to keep your jungle going, even with shifting them to new locations for winter, grab yourself a grow light for a few hours of extra light every day. 

Though you don’t want your plants to be too cold, be wary of heat sources. Being too warm or the air being too dry is not ideal for your plants so ensure you don’t place them right next to radiators or draughty doors/windows.

Don’t stress about dropped leaves

Your plants are in dormancy and recharging for the coming growing season, so mostly there isn’t a whole lot for you to do. 

Because your plants are conserving as much energy as possible, they may drop some leaves that they don’t need, look a little droopy or halt growing all together.

You may be tempted to water or feed them, but this will ultimately damage your plants, so don’t do anything further and let them do their thing!

Christmas Wreath Longevity Tips

Creating a good environment for your live wreath is essential to prolong its beauty and longevity. Ideally, keep live wreaths outdoors or in a cool indoor space, which will help keep your wreath fresh. Similar to Christmas tree care, if you keep your wreath indoors avoid placing it near heating vents, bright directly sunny windows or other heat sources, as these can cause the foliage to dry out, wilt and fade quickly. 

Another important factor is humidity. Higher humidity levels help retain moisture in the foliage and prevent wilting, you can give your wreath a light misting or water if it starts to feel overly dry, and keep your wreath away from draughty areas, such as doorways and air conditioning units. A gentle spray helps maintain humidity, especially in dry indoor conditions. 

Periodically check the greenery for any signs of distress. Keeping an eye on discoloration or drying leaves will allow you to take action before it’s too late, ensuring that your indoor decoration lasts through the season.

Pot Grown Christmas Trees

For inside

Allow the tree as much time as possible outside, as a prolonged time inside is not good for it. Trees should not be brought inside until about a week or two before Christmas, and moved back out as soon as possible.

If possible, an acclimation period of about a week in a garage, or other cool, sheltered indoor spot helps make the transition from outdoors to indoors less hard on the plant. If you lack a suitable space, keep your potted tree in a sheltered area outside. 

Once inside, keep away from any heat sources, and in a cool room if possible. Any container-grown plant needs regular watering. Keep the soil moist and don’t allow it to dry out. Too much water sitting in the plant pot is also bad for the tree and can cause root rot. If this has happened, the pot might start to smell bad, and some needles may even go a little yellow. All of this aids in keeping the tree healthy, and reducing things like needle drop. If a tree starts to look like it is suffering, you may need to move it back outside to prevent it dying.

Planting info & ongoing care

If you plan to keep it potted, then you can re-pot the plant to make more room for the roots. With pot-grown trees, you can expect to have 3 or 4 Christmases with your tree on average, so choose pots that you can lift easily to bring the tree indoors. Let your tree acclimatise back to outdoor conditions by leaving this in a sheltered outdoor place like a garage or patio.

To re-pot a tree, make sure you have a larger container ready and some compost. Remove your tree from the old pot and plant it into the new one, tuck new soil around it and give it good water.

To plant out in the ground, leave your tree outside to help acclimatize and wait for a dry spell, as it's always better to get a tree planted in the dormant season before the early spring. Once the ground is soft enough to dig but not waterlogged, dig a hole that's slightly larger than the tree container. Move your tree into the hole, then fill it in with soil. Give it good water once planted to help it establish. A sheltered spot with direct or bright sunlight is best.