[gomoho]

Almost everywhere I have lived the thinking was to plant in the fall to allow the plant to establish itself before winter and even more important before the following summer and all it brings.

So now I am in Florida and thinking "well it hardly rains in the fall and our rainy season is June to October, so wouldn't it be better to plant early spring and allow the plant to establish with the rains Mother Nature provides???"

Any other gardeners have thoughts on this???

[Uptown Girl]

I have been adding new plantings since March 15th. I am trusting (in general) that as each kind becomes available in the nurseries, it is pretty much an okay time to plant. I hydrate them the night before and
plant early mornings, or when the planting spot will be in shade, for my own comfort and to give the plant ease for a time.

I haven't tried edible plants- so much good stuff at the farmer's markets,
I know I can't do better in containers.

I am still looking for sun-tolerant Caladiums to add to those I bought last year. They overwintered well in the ground and are now up and beautiful.
Haven't seen them in the nurseries yet.

Also tried hanging on to my Pentas over winter, as a helpful person on here encouraged me to do. They are now full of blooms and have doubled in size from last year. Cool!
Other than that, I am pretty much done, but I am now helping my neighbors plant, so I still get my fix.

[PaPaLarry]

Originally Posted by Uptown Girl

I have been adding new plantings since March 15th. I am trusting (in general) that as each kind becomes available in the nurseries, it is pretty much an okay time to plant. I hydrate them the night before and
plant early mornings, or when the planting spot will be in shade, for my own comfort and to give the plant ease for a time.

I haven't tried edible plants- so much good stuff at the farmer's markets,
I know I can't do better in containers.

I am still looking for sun-tolerant Caladiums to add to those I bought last year. They overwintered well in the ground and are now up and beautiful.
Haven't seen them in the nurseries yet.

Also tried hanging on to my Pentas over winter, as a helpful person on here encouraged me to do. They are now full of blooms and have doubled in size from last year. Cool!
Other than that, I am pretty much done, but I am now helping my neighbors plant, so I still get my fix.

Could you please explain to me hydrate? Sorry, not that savvy about hydrate, and why you do it. Thanks

[Uptown Girl]

Sure. Here's what I do. When I bring a plant home, I place it in a temporary shady spot. When I have time, I slip the plant out of the pot and have a look at the soil....(I like to know what kind of soil it is) and also look at the roots. Then I put the plant back in it's pot until I plant it.

Sometimes the pots have been recently well watered at the nursery (hydrated) and they will be fine for a day or so. I let them have a rest from being jostled around. It gives me time to prepare/amend the hole I will plant them in.

If the soil does not look moist, or I see any bugs (!) I will stick them (pot and all) in a bucket or basin of water for about 20 minutes or so, then allow them to drain. That is how I hydrate them..... and any bugs drown.

When I plant, I loosen the root ball a bit before placing it into the ground, very carefully with a screw driver, chopstick or something such as that. Especially the roots on the bottom. Often they are wound pretty tight. If I can't loosen them a bit, I will make a few shallow, vertical slices on the outside of the rootball with a knife (maybe 4 slices.) or at least across the bottom (2 slices) I lay them on their side to do this.

I have found by experience, the new plant will integrate itself into the soil with much more ease if the roots are not overly congested. Of course I take efforts to make that hole plant worthy and add the appropriate soil around the plant before tamping it in and watering.
It gets about 10 minutes of minimal trickle watering on alternate days from the sprinklers- especially if it is planted in full sun. I do that until I see new growth at the least. (if it rains, I don't do it.)

The only thing I have not done this way was my large Bougainvillea. THAT I planted still in the pot. I just sliced the bottom of the pot off before planting, to make the roots go deep, not spread out. I was taught that it helps keep them hardier to cold, easier to keep in bounds, and easier to remove if needed. Mine is two years old now and thriving.

Now I will shut my yap. I am a garden nut.

[villager]

Originally Posted by Uptown Girl

I have been adding new plantings since March 15th. I am trusting (in general) that as each kind becomes available in the nurseries, it is pretty much an okay time to plant. I hydrate them the night before and
plant early mornings, or when the planting spot will be in shade, for my own comfort and to give the plant ease for a time.

I haven't tried edible plants- so much good stuff at the farmer's markets,
I know I can't do better in containers.

I am still looking for sun-tolerant Caladiums to add to those I bought last year. They overwintered well in the ground and are now up and beautiful.
Haven't seen them in the nurseries yet.

Also tried hanging on to my Pentas over winter, as a helpful person on here encouraged me to do. They are now full of blooms and have doubled in size from last year. Cool!
Other than that, I am pretty much done, but I am now helping my neighbors plant, so I still get my fix.

If you need more fixes, I'll give you my address... I am not a gardener but sure do love flowers!

[Uptown Girl]

Very glad you do!

[PaPaLarry]

Originally Posted by Uptown Girl

Sure. Here's what I do. When I bring a plant home, I place it in a temporary shady spot. When I have time, I slip the plant out of the pot and have a look at the soil....(I like to know what kind of soil it is) and also look at the roots. Then I put the plant back in it's pot until I plant it.

Sometimes the pots have been recently well watered at the nursery (hydrated) and they will be fine for a day or so. I let them have a rest from being jostled around. It gives me time to prepare/amend the hole I will plant them in.

If the soil does not look moist, or I see any bugs (!) I will stick them (pot and all) in a bucket or basin of water for about 20 minutes or so, then allow them to drain. That is how I hydrate them..... and any bugs drown.

When I plant, I loosen the root ball a bit before placing it into the ground, very carefully with a screw driver, chopstick or something such as that. Especially the roots on the bottom. Often they are wound pretty tight. If I can't loosen them a bit, I will make a few shallow, vertical slices on the outside of the rootball with a knife (maybe 4 slices.) or at least across the bottom (2 slices) I lay them on their side to do this.

I have found by experience, the new plant will integrate itself into the soil with much more ease if the roots are not overly congested. Of course I take efforts to make that hole plant worthy and add the appropriate soil around the plant before tamping it in and watering.
It gets about 10 minutes of minimal trickle watering on alternate days from the sprinklers- especially if it is planted in full sun. I do that until I see new growth at the least. (if it rains, I don't do it.)

The only thing I have not done this way was my large Bougainvillea. THAT I planted still in the pot. I just sliced the bottom of the pot off before planting, to make the roots go deep, not spread out. I was taught that it helps keep them hardier to cold, easier to keep in bounds, and easier to remove if needed. Mine is two years old now and thriving.

Now I will shut my yap. I am a garden nut.

Great explanation, and helpful hints. Now I understand hydrate. Thanks

[rayschic]

Originally Posted by Uptown Girl

Sure. Here's what I do. When I bring a plant home, I place it in a temporary shady spot. When I have time, I slip the plant out of the pot and have a look at the soil....(I like to know what kind of soil it is) and also look at the roots. Then I put the plant back in it's pot until I plant it.

Sometimes the pots have been recently well watered at the nursery (hydrated) and they will be fine for a day or so. I let them have a rest from being jostled around. It gives me time to prepare/amend the hole I will plant them in.

If the soil does not look moist, or I see any bugs (!) I will stick them (pot and all) in a bucket or basin of water for about 20 minutes or so, then allow them to drain. That is how I hydrate them..... and any bugs drown.

When I plant, I loosen the root ball a bit before placing it into the ground, very carefully with a screw driver, chopstick or something such as that. Especially the roots on the bottom. Often they are wound pretty tight. If I can't loosen them a bit, I will make a few shallow, vertical slices on the outside of the rootball with a knife (maybe 4 slices.) or at least across the bottom (2 slices) I lay them on their side to do this.

I have found by experience, the new plant will integrate itself into the soil with much more ease if the roots are not overly congested. Of course I take efforts to make that hole plant worthy and add the appropriate soil around the plant before tamping it in and watering.
It gets about 10 minutes of minimal trickle watering on alternate days from the sprinklers- especially if it is planted in full sun. I do that until I see new growth at the least. (if it rains, I don't do it.)

The only thing I have not done this way was my large Bougainvillea. THAT I planted still in the pot. I just sliced the bottom of the pot off before planting, to make the roots go deep, not spread out. I was taught that it helps keep them hardier to cold, easier to keep in bounds, and easier to remove if needed. Mine is two years old now and thriving.

Now I will shut my yap. I am a garden nut.

WOW !! What a great post. Lots of helpful info. Love the idea of slicing the bottom off the pot and planting. I would never have thought of that.
Maybe you can give me suggestions for this problem...
I have a barrel cactus that is very top heavy and is about to fall over.
I need to re-pot it but it's all spines and I can't even touch it. Right now it is in a clay pot. I've had it for about 10 years, so I don't want to lose it. Any suggestions ?

[travelguy]

create a handle by wrapping a strip of cardboard around the plant and taping it in place with heavy duty duct tape. allow more canrdboard for a 'handle' and you will be able to 'get a grip' on the spiny plant.

[Uptown Girl]

(now you know why I gave up growing cactus!) Ow!
You didn't say how big or heavy it is, but
I have one method if you repot (get someone to help you if they are willing) and one method if you don't repot.

To repot:
First, get your new pot ready to go, with gravel, and barely moist cactus mix already in it. Then get newspaper and sturdy tape.
Wear protective gloves once you are all ready- BOTH of you.(suede rose garden gloves have a good long cuff) pick a tool you can tamp with and have it handy.

Take sheets of newspaper and fold them into what will look like a fairly thick 'belt'. Tape lengths together if you must to make a length long enough to wrap around the cactus with enough excess length to grab (as a handle) in your hands, rather like a cinch. Wearing your gloves, wrap the newspaper around and hold securely, then lift the cactus while having someone holding the pot down. Ease it up and out if you can, you don't want to crack the neck of the cactus. If it won't budge, you may have to carefully break the pot with a hammer (if it is clay) or cut it (if it is plastic)
Transfer it to the new pot, and keep holding it in place with the newspaper belt, while your helper fills in any soil needed and tamps it down.

An alternative to potting:
If it looks good and healthy and really could still live in the pot, (no roots exposed on top) fill the top with pea gravel or some other small rounded objects like glass pebbles. That will give weight to the pot and steady the cactus and perhaps it can live happily ever after just as it is.

[gomoho]

Excellent suggestion Uptown - I'm curious about your earlier post about bougenveilla. I understand they do best when stressed and pot bound. I recently purchased a very small plant that I intend to grow in shrub form; however I am stumped about how to plant it. If it like to be pot bound that certainly won't be accomplished if planted right in the ground, but the pot it came in is so small I don't know if it would be appropriate to use your suggestion of cutting out the bottom. I thought feeder roots were near the soil level and don't understand how these roots could establish if contained in a small pot.

I had one landscaper suggest I put it in an amended hole and concentrate on growing a good strong plant initially with a good root system then worry about blooms. Your thoughts or suggestions???

[rayschic]

Thanks travelguy and UptownGirl. My cactus is big and very healthy looking, just starting to tilt. My husband will be helping me. He was thinking of wrapping it in bubblewrap but I like the newpaper handle idea better. Thanks.

[Uptown Girl]

Originally Posted by gomoho

Excellent suggestion Uptown - I'm curious about your earlier post about bougenveilla. I understand they do best when stressed and pot bound. I recently purchased a very small plant that I intend to grow in shrub form; however I am stumped about how to plant it. If it like to be pot bound that certainly won't be accomplished if planted right in the ground, but the pot it came in is so small I don't know if it would be appropriate to use your suggestion of cutting out the bottom. I thought feeder roots were near the soil level and don't understand how these roots could establish if contained in a small pot.

I had one landscaper suggest I put it in an amended hole and concentrate on growing a good strong plant initially with a good root system then worry about blooms. Your thoughts or suggestions???

As I understand, the roots of young Bougainvillea are actually very delicate and can be broken easily with rough handling. But I have seen roots of established specimens splitting open a plastic pot, which I believe will eventually happen to the one I planted in the ground, although it will take awhile.
The one I planted was tub sized- I'm guessing 25 gallon so it was the preferred way for the reasons i mentioned earlier. A little pot with a baby in it doesn't have to be planted that way.

I agree that, the primary thing is to get them established before worrying about bloom, but I do not subscribe to the idea that they bloom any better pot bound and stressed.
Most important for bloom is full sun (6+ hours a day) a drier spot (NOT soggy)
Being fed regularly helps too. I use a once a month granular food by Bougain and get great blooms, but have seen glorious old specimens in the Mediterranean LOADED with blooms growing through a crack with no extraordinary care at all.
The one in our own Spanish Springs takes my breath away!

[Uptown Girl]

Originally Posted by rayschic

Thanks travelguy and UptownGirl. My cactus is big and very healthy looking, just starting to tilt. My husband will be helping me. He was thinking of wrapping it in bubblewrap but I like the newpaper handle idea better. Thanks.

I don't see any reason why you couldn't use bubble wrap, might even be a better idea!
I think I would wrap tape over that-all the way around.
Let us know how it goes!

[gomoho]

Thank you Uptown I'll let you know how things go.