home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Gold Medal Software 3
/
Gold Medal Software - Volume 3 (Gold Medal) (1994).iso
/
misc
/
growit2a.arj
/
GROWIT_A.EXE
/
BUY.TXT
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1993-11-20
|
6KB
|
133 lines
▄─┐ ▄─┐ ▄ ▄
█─┤ ┐ ▄ ┬ ▄ ▄ ┬─▄ ┌─▄ █ │ █ ┌─▄ ┬─▄ ─█─ ▄─┐
█ │ │ █ │ █ █ │ █ │ █ █─┘ █ ┌─█ │ █ █ ▀─┐
▀─┘ └─▀ └─█ ▀ ┴ ▀ └─█ ▀ ▀ └─▀ ┴ ▀ ▀ ▀─┘
─▀ ─▀
The best place to view the best specimens that will thrive
in your area is in your own neighborhood.
Take a stroll around your own suburb and take note of
which plants seem to be healthy and thriving in your area.
Also take note of size and colour of foliage, of aspect
and position that you feel will suit your requirements.
The next step is to visit your local nursery or garden
centre and ask questions of the staff.
Remember that most nurseries buy their stock from other
areas and other states, although generally it is prudent
for a nursery to buy plants most suitable for the area.
They also may buy plants which require special treatment,
as although popular, may not thrive in your area without
special requirements.
The staff at most nurseries are professionals and will
gladly suggest plants that require little care, and thrive
in the worst of your areas conditions.
It may be confusing to look at the vast range and variety
of plants available, however take your time and compare
the shapes and sizes of the foliage, the variety of leaf
colour and take special note of the mature height and
width of the plants.
It is not difficult to judge the quality of the stock
displayed. If the plant is an evergreen it should be
thickly branched and clothed in foliage.
Look out for plants with yellow tips which can indicate a
problem or poor watering routine.
If the stock in a nursery looks neglected, leave that
nursery and go to another where the stock is well cared
for and healthy.
If buying in the spring, look for new growth which
indicates a well fed and healthy plant.
Be wary of two metre plants growing in 10cm pots, as these
plants may have an underdeveloped root system or be root
bound.
Evergreens are almost never sold with bare roots.
When choosing plants consider groupings where there is
variety of shape and form, contrast of foliage shape and
colour.
Put a plan to paper and sketch in your chosen plants to
scale and see if the visual result is what you had
intended.
Sketch your plan to the size your plants will acheive at
maturity. If you overplant you can be sure you will have
to remove some of your purchases within a couple of years.
Giving a plant its required space ensures a handsome and
healthy specimen at maturity.
▄─┐ ▄ ▄ ▄─┐ ▄
█ │ █ ┌─▄ ┬─▄ ─█─ ▄ ┬─▄ ┌─▄ █ │ ▄─┐ ┌─▄ ▄─┐ ─█─ ▄ ▄─┐ ▄─┐
█─┘ █ ┌─█ │ █ █ █ │ █ │ █ █─┘ █ ┌─█ █ █ █ █ █─┘
▀ ▀ └─▀ ┴ ▀ ▀ ▀ ┴ ▀ └─█ ▀ ▀ └─▀ ▀─┘ ▀ ▀ ▀─┘ ▀─┘
─▀
You have made your purchases and are now eager to plant
them out.
You can dig a hole or a grave for your plants, it is
entirely up to you.
This is the hard work, but by digging the hole
correctly at this time, makes all the difference to the
life of the plant.
Dig the hole at least twice the width of the soil ball
surrounding the plant and at least one and a half times
its depth.
Remove any stones, rocks or other debris and discard.
Mix in a liberal amount of compost and well rotted cow
manure to improve the soil texture and to aid drainage.
Before placing the plant in the hole make sure that the
roots are not wound arround the root ball, and if they
are, carefully tease them out so that they can grow
outwardly into the surrounding soil.
Place the plant in the hole making sure that its best
side is facing the way you wish it to.
Also make sure that the top of the soil ball is not
lower than the surrounding ground level.
Back-fill the hole and firm the soil down to support
the plant.
If the plant is tall and the prevailing winds are
fairly strong, it is acceptable to place three stakes
in a triangular fashion to support the plant until the
roots have established themselves.
Place the stakes well out from the root ball so as not
to damage the delicate root system.
Tie the plant to the stakes in a series of loose loops
(see the graphic).
Lastly but most importantly, water the area thoroughly
and place a layer of mulch around the plants, up to,
but not touching the truck or stems of the plant.
Do not feed trees or shrubs at this time.
EOF