Protecting Your Investment: A Guide to Caring for New Plants

Installing new trees, shrubs, and perennials is a significant investment in your property’s beauty and value. A well-thought-out plan is the first step, but the crucial next step is proper care to ensure that investment thrives for years to come.

The primary challenge for any new plant is getting enough water during its establishment period. Diligence during this initial phase will reward you with a healthy, thriving plant that will settle into the regular routine of your overall landscape.

The Critical First Weeks: Water, Water, Water!

Newly planted plants require much more water than their established neighbors. Extra daily water is essential to keep the root ball moist, reduce transplant shock, and encourage new roots to grow out into the surrounding soil. As we’ve discussed in our article on water conservation, applying this water correctly is key to preventing waste and ensuring it gets to the roots where it’s needed most.

Watering Schedule for New Plants

• Spring & Fall Planting: For the first two to three weeks, your new plants will need extra water at least once per day. This is supplemental watering in addition to what your automatic sprinkler system provides.
• Summer Planting: When planting in the summer heat, you need to be even more diligent. Plan on watering these new additions two or three times per day for at least two weeks to ensure they don’t dry out.

After this initial period of daily watering, you can typically reduce the frequency to about three days a week. However, it’s vital to maintain the same water volume. This means you’ll need to increase the watering time on those days to give the plants the same amount of water in fewer applications. For landscapes with slopes, using a “cycle and soak” method—watering for a short period, letting it soak in, and then watering again—can prevent runoff.

How Much is Enough?

Your goal is to thoroughly saturate the entire root ball each time. The amount of water needed depends on the size of the plant:

• A 1 or 2-gallon plant has roots about 12 inches deep.
• A 15-25 gallon plant has roots 24 to 30 inches deep.

This could mean applying anywhere from one to several gallons of water each time.

A Word of Caution: Be careful not to overwater your established plants while caring for your new ones. It’s often best to run your existing irrigation system as normal and then supplement the water for your new plants with a hose. An efficient way to water new trees and shrubs is with drip irrigation, which delivers water slowly and directly to the root zone. You can learn more about our sprinkler and irrigation services.

The Establishment Journey: Sleep, Creep, Leap

A new plant is considered “established” when its roots have grown beyond its canopy. This process can take one to two years, and it’s important to have realistic expectations for growth during this time. We like to use a simple saying:

• The first year, they sleep. You won’t see much top growth as the plant focuses its energy on developing a strong root system.
• The second year, they creep. You’ll begin to see more noticeable, confident growth.
• The third year, they leap! This is when your plant, now fully established, really takes off.

What About Fertilizer and Pruning?

Beyond watering, there isn’t much you need to do for your new plants in the first year.

• Pruning: A new plant will only produce the amount of leaves its young root system can support, so there’s no need to do much pruning in the first season.
• Fertilizer: The primary focus is water, not feeding. It’s best to wait until after the plant is established to begin a regular fertilizing schedule.

Beyond the First Year: Long-Term Landscape Health

Once established, your plants become part of a living ecosystem. To keep your entire landscape thriving, focus on four key elements: Water, Nutrients, Insect & Disease Prevention, and Pruning. Applying a quality slow-release fertilizer in spring and fall, keeping beds clean, and pruning regularly will ensure your investment continues to grow. For more ideas on creating a beautiful and sustainable yard, check out our 10 Tips for Designing a Low-Maintenance Landscape.

We’re Here to Help

Our guarantee for new plants installed by Kimberly Nurseries is dependent on timely communication. If you ever have questions or concerns about the health of your plants, or if you need your sprinklers adjusted, please give us a call. You can also learn more about our comprehensive landscape maintenance services. Our goal is to work with you as your landscape establishes into the thriving, living space you envision!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the three main concerns with the care of any plant? A: Based on our experience, success with any plant comes down to these three critical elements:

1. Proper Watering: This is the #1 concern, especially for new plants. The key is balance—avoiding the stress of underwatering and the root rot that comes from overwatering.
2. Proper Nutrients: Once established, plants need the right fuel. This means using a quality slow-release fertilizer and addressing local soil needs. Here in our area, for example, our alkaline soil often requires iron and sulfur to prevent yellowing leaves (chlorosis).
3. Pest & Disease Prevention: A healthy plant is the best defense. Proactive care like keeping the area clean, ensuring good air circulation through proper pruning, and inspecting plants regularly will help you catch any issues before they become problems. For tips on dealing with common summer issues, read our guide to Keeping Your Lawn Lush and Green Through the Summer.

Q: How is caring for new indoor plants different from outdoors? A: While the principles are similar, you’re managing a much more controlled environment indoors. When you bring a new houseplant home, your main goal is to help it acclimate.

• Water: It’s much easier to overwater houseplants. Always check the soil moisture an inch or two down before watering, and never let the pot sit in a saucer full of water.
• Light: Place the plant where it will get the correct amount of light for its species. Avoid shocking it with intense, direct sun right away.
• Fertilizer: Hold off on fertilizing for at least 4-6 weeks. The plant needs time to adjust, and feeding it too soon can burn its roots.

Q: Why should I quarantine new indoor plants and how do I do it? A: Quarantining is the most important step to protect your other houseplants from pests. A new plant can easily introduce spider mites, mealybugs, or other pests that can infest your entire collection. The process is simple:

1. Inspect & Clean: Carefully check the entire plant for pests. Gently wipe down the leaves with a damp cloth to remove dust and potential stowaways.
2. Isolate: Place the new plant in a separate room from all other plants for 2 to 4 weeks.
3. Maintain Distance: If a separate room isn’t an option, keep it at least 10 feet away from other plants to prevent pests from traveling.

Q: How do I treat new plants for pests if I find them during quarantine? A: Finding pests while a plant is in isolation is the best-case scenario!

1. Identify & Remove: First, try to remove pests manually by spraying the plant down or using a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol.
2. Treat with Sprays: For most common pests, an insecticidal soap or neem oil solution is very effective. Always follow the product’s directions and test it on a small leaf first.

Be Persistent: You will likely need to reapply the treatment every 5-7 days for several weeks to eliminate all life stages of the pests. If you have an outdoor pest you can’t identify, feel free to bring a sample in a sealed plastic bag to our office, and one of our horticulturists can help.