It's almost time for the Landis Signature Plant, Book, and Bake Sale!

Wanted: Plant Donations!

As you prepare to put your garden to bed this, fall, you may find that some need dividing, and some are just extraneous to need. As you clean up the beds, you have the chance to share with other gardeners and help boost the Arboretum's profits at the same time.

The sale begins this year with the Members Only Pick of the Pots Sale (POPS) from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM on Friday, September 10, and continues from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday, September 11 and 12, for the general public. Bring your plants to the Arboretum anytime during the week of the sale.

We've included a great tutorial on potting up plants from Nick Zabawsky, gardener extraordinaire. We hope to see you at the sale!

Potting Up Plants for the Plant Sale

- Nick Zabawsky, Longtime Arboretum member

It is important to have attractive, healthy looking plants for the sale. With that in mind, here are a few pointers:

Start Ahead of Time

Plants go into transplant shock when they are dug up and potted. Most plants need 2 to 4 weeks to recover, so plan accordingly. I start potting up plants 4 weeks before a plant sale.

Pamper Plants after Potting Up

The transplanting process does major damage to root systems, and plants can't take direct sun. For the first ten days after potting up plants, keep them in shade and water regularly. I also mist the plants with a garden sprayer on a daily basis for the first few days to prevent dehydration. After ten days, gradually move the sun loving plants out into the sun to harden them off. Of course, keep the shade lovers in the shade.

Provide Good Drainage

One of the quickest ways to kill a newly potted plant is to overwater and drown it. Use pots with holes in the bottom to provide drainage and line the bottom of the pot with small stones, gravel, bark chips or some other coarse material that will insure quick drainage from the bottom of the pot. Use soil that drains well-not heavy clay. Professional potting mix will produce the best results.

I like the mix that is sold as "moisture control potting mix" as it allows longer time between waterings, and it also reduces the likelihood of drowning the roots. For plants that prefer heavier soils, I mix topsoil in with the potting mix.

Use the Right Size Pot

Don't try to jam a plant into an undersized pot, and don't put a tiny plant into a large pot. Both situations not only look unattractive, but the plant will not thrive in such conditions.

Don't Fertilize

Adding fertilizer over the long haul is a good idea, but not when potting up. High nitrogen fertilizer promotes top growth, when what is needed is root establishment.

Prune and Primp

Just before the plant sale, remove dead or damaged foliage. Level up and top off the soil if necessary. For many plants with lots of foliage, remove some leaves to reduce transplant shock and provide a more balanced, healthy looking plant.

Questions? Contact us at info@landisarboretum.org

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