Don't Do 90%
"I feel sorry for people who do 90% of what it takes to be successful." —Thomas Sowell, Economist
In school, doing 90% means an A-. In real life, it more often means a D or an F. I heard about a couple who worked and saved for years to build their dream home. They bought some land in the country, bought building supplies, and got to work. But a puzzling illness overtook them during construction. The cause: poisoning from the treated lumber they were using. They couldn’t file a homeowner’s insurance claim or sue anyone—they were out of luck because they shouldn’t have used treated lumber to build a home. They did 90% of what it took to build a home.
Gardeners sometimes do just 90%, too—even members of garden societies. I’ve known them to do or fail to do little things that sealed their plants’ fate. Even professionals make obvious mistakes: how many new homes do you see with blue spruce trees—so cute when they’re little—planted a few feet from the front door?
Let’s talk about you. Let’s say you’ve done 90% of what it takes to have a great garden: you have done your homework and decided which plants you want and where they will go. The last 10% is deciding when and where to buy them, planting them, and getting them established. I can’t give advice on every type of plant and climate, but I can offer some general guidelines to help you get from 90% to 100%.
Where to buy: Experienced gardeners can find good deals at the supermarket and box stores. But if you are a new gardener or new to your area, it’s worth a few extra dollars to go to a good nursery. The selection is better and the staff can give you local advice from their own experience. As plant lovers, they tend to take good care of their stock. That’s rarely the case at stores that sell everything from nuts to motor oil at blowout prices. Just remember: nurseries are businesses. They stock what people will buy, not necessarily what people can grow.
When to plant: This will depend on your climate and the kind of plants you are getting. Knowing your zone will help, but local advice is best—ask a neighbor, local garden society, or nursery staff. For example, I just learned that sweet pea seeds should be planted at Thanksgiving in southern California. Here in Denver, they’re planted around St. Patrick’s Day.
Planting technique: I love to save time and effort, but this is not the place to cut corners. The way you plant will help determine whether you’re walking around this summer with a drink or a shovel in your hand. Soil is that important—and it’s hard to fix once the plant is in the ground. First, know what kind of soil the plant needs. Many books tout rich loamy humus, but some plants, especially Western natives, don’t like rich black soil—it’s like putting monks in a mansion. Whatever kind of soil the plant needs, till it until it is fine and loose. Dig a hole much larger than the pot so that the roots will spread. Roses, for instance, call for a hole at least 18" wide and deep, preferably 24." You may want to fill the hole with water and let it drain so the plant doesn’t dry out. Remove any fiber pot; they take too long to rot in much of the West. Water the plant, but remember that most plants, even roses, don’t like wet feet (i.e., soggy soil).
Speaking of roses, many of them are grafted, meaning that the top of the plant has been attached to a different set of roots. You can tell by looking for a knot just above the root system. This knot, or graft, should be planted about 2" below the soil. If the plant freezes to the ground, there will still be some of the top part of the plant to grow again. The plant that would grow from the roots wouldn’t look like what you bought.
Getting your plants going: at planting, mulch the plant with something appropriate for it to help keep the roots cool and moist. Even xeric plants need extra moisture the first year; they’ll be hardier after they have a large root system. Don’t overwater, though. In general, deep watering is better than a light sprinkle. Your watering should be appropriate for the plant type, soil and weather.
In school, doing 90% means an A-. In real life, it more often means a D or an F. I heard about a couple who worked and saved for years to build their dream home. They bought some land in the country, bought building supplies, and got to work. But a puzzling illness overtook them during construction. The cause: poisoning from the treated lumber they were using. They couldn’t file a homeowner’s insurance claim or sue anyone—they were out of luck because they shouldn’t have used treated lumber to build a home. They did 90% of what it took to build a home.
Gardeners sometimes do just 90%, too—even members of garden societies. I’ve known them to do or fail to do little things that sealed their plants’ fate. Even professionals make obvious mistakes: how many new homes do you see with blue spruce trees—so cute when they’re little—planted a few feet from the front door?
Let’s talk about you. Let’s say you’ve done 90% of what it takes to have a great garden: you have done your homework and decided which plants you want and where they will go. The last 10% is deciding when and where to buy them, planting them, and getting them established. I can’t give advice on every type of plant and climate, but I can offer some general guidelines to help you get from 90% to 100%.
Where to buy: Experienced gardeners can find good deals at the supermarket and box stores. But if you are a new gardener or new to your area, it’s worth a few extra dollars to go to a good nursery. The selection is better and the staff can give you local advice from their own experience. As plant lovers, they tend to take good care of their stock. That’s rarely the case at stores that sell everything from nuts to motor oil at blowout prices. Just remember: nurseries are businesses. They stock what people will buy, not necessarily what people can grow.
When to plant: This will depend on your climate and the kind of plants you are getting. Knowing your zone will help, but local advice is best—ask a neighbor, local garden society, or nursery staff. For example, I just learned that sweet pea seeds should be planted at Thanksgiving in southern California. Here in Denver, they’re planted around St. Patrick’s Day.
Planting technique: I love to save time and effort, but this is not the place to cut corners. The way you plant will help determine whether you’re walking around this summer with a drink or a shovel in your hand. Soil is that important—and it’s hard to fix once the plant is in the ground. First, know what kind of soil the plant needs. Many books tout rich loamy humus, but some plants, especially Western natives, don’t like rich black soil—it’s like putting monks in a mansion. Whatever kind of soil the plant needs, till it until it is fine and loose. Dig a hole much larger than the pot so that the roots will spread. Roses, for instance, call for a hole at least 18" wide and deep, preferably 24." You may want to fill the hole with water and let it drain so the plant doesn’t dry out. Remove any fiber pot; they take too long to rot in much of the West. Water the plant, but remember that most plants, even roses, don’t like wet feet (i.e., soggy soil).
Speaking of roses, many of them are grafted, meaning that the top of the plant has been attached to a different set of roots. You can tell by looking for a knot just above the root system. This knot, or graft, should be planted about 2" below the soil. If the plant freezes to the ground, there will still be some of the top part of the plant to grow again. The plant that would grow from the roots wouldn’t look like what you bought.
Getting your plants going: at planting, mulch the plant with something appropriate for it to help keep the roots cool and moist. Even xeric plants need extra moisture the first year; they’ll be hardier after they have a large root system. Don’t overwater, though. In general, deep watering is better than a light sprinkle. Your watering should be appropriate for the plant type, soil and weather.
posted by Lori Miller at 9:02 PM
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