INITIAL PLANT CARE - What to do with your new plants
When you receive your plants, open the box, take the plants out, and stand them upright.
Thoroughly water your plants as soon as you can. When watering for the first time, ensure you water right into the pot so that the compost is well saturated. Leave them to drain before planting.
The plants that you receive are young and actively growing. Plant as soon as possible to maximise full growth potential.
If you can't plant them out straight away, you can pot them on into larger pots to give them more space to grow into. Plants in tubestock pots will need regular watering, perhaps daily in warm weather.
Once planted in the garden, or into larger pots, keep your new tubestock plants well watered and out of extreme weather conditions, especially during summer heat and winter frost.
If you can, provide them with shade so they are not in full sun, or a cloche to protect from frost, until they establish.
Tubestocks are like babies - they need regular small feeds until they are big enough to fend for themselves. So daily monitoring is a good idea in hot weather or warm sunny rooms.
If the plants are potted on or planted out and well watered then, they have more access to water. So checking on them every few days should be sufficient.
REMOVING PLANT FROM TUBE
When you are ready for planting, remove the plant from its pot using the following steps:
1. Make a V-sign or Vulcan salute.
Slide your hand flat around the stem.
Turn the plant upside down.
2. Squeeze the sides of the tube to
loosen the plant from the tube.
Don’t pull it out by the stem!.
3. Cup the plant and pot in your
hand and carefully slide off the tube.
You're ready to plant!
PLANTING STEPS
Please follow these simple steps for best results:
1. Dig a small hole
to the depth of the pot.
Adding eco-seaweed to the watering can
helps to reduce transplant shock and
provides nutrients as the plant makes roots.
2. Place your plant in, level with the soil.
Fill the hole with soil, press firmly.
Continue to water every few days until
your plants are well settled in.
This usually takes around 12 weeks.
3. Water in well with eco-seaweed.
Add mulch, to help retain water.
Shade newly-planted tubestock from hot sun
to reduce transpiration and help them thrive.
PLANTS IN MESH
Here's what to do with plants in mesh:
Sometimes we ship plants as plug plants, slightly smaller than tubestock.
These often have their roots encased in a netting wrap.
This is biodegradable, and will break down in the soil over time.
The speed depends on temperature, humidity, and soil pH levels.
Meanwhile the plant's roots can grow through unimpeded.
Simply plant your tubestock, netting and all.