Growing Beautiful Plants means Growing Big Roots
We spend too much time thinking about how pretty the top part of the plant is—pretty flowers and attractive leaves—and not enough time thinking about how very, very important roots are to the health of a plant. If you work to develop strong, wide spreading, deep roots through proper watering techniques and feeding practices, plants will develop pretty leaves and flowers.
Plants Need Water
Make sure your trees, shrubs, perennials and ornamental grasses receive adequate water during the first growing season. How much is ‘enough’ water? To understand how much water they need, use this guideline:
To establish strong plant roots, a plant requires at least the same amount of water as the size of the rootball or container (at the time of planting) three times per week for the first growing season. If the weather is hot or we haven’t received rain in 5 days, providing additional water is essential.
For Example
If a flowering shrub was purchased in a three-gallon container, you’ll need at least three gallons of water directly to the plant roots three times per week for the first growing season. In times of drought and heat, you may need to water daily. After the first growing season, you can reduce watering to twice weekly unless there is a drought. Then, you’ll need to water more. When a plant starts to wilt, it needs water! Don’t leave plants to wilt. Wilting causes damage to plant cells.
When you think Roots, think of Carrots!
Carrots are the best example I can think of for root growth. When carrots receive a daily, light sprinkling of water on the surface of the soil and not a really good, deep soaking, they tend to grow short and fat. If carrots receive a really good, deep watering where the soil is well-saturated every couple of days, they tend to grow bigger, longer, and thicker. Can you see where I’m going here?
Because plant roots develop best when they have to hunt for water. When plant roots get a light, frequent sprinkling of water, they develop small, shallow roots that don’t spread in the ground. Plants that receive a deep, long soak directly to their roots two or three times per week develop deep, far-reaching, strong roots. Deep roots are better able to support plant growth. Simply, the more extensive, the bigger, and the stronger a plant’s roots are, the greater their ability to take up water and nutrients to support healthy leaf, flower, and fruit growth. Big roots = Healthy plants!
Plant Nutrients
May is a great time to complete this task. You can apply an All-Purpose Granular fertilizer to your garden plants (flowering and evergreen shrubs, perennials, and grasses) and a Tree and Shrub Granular fertilizer to your deciduous and coniferous trees. All fertilizers must be watered well after application using a garden hose. Don’t rely on a lawn sprinkler or rain to water in fertilizers. Fertilizers not watered well can burn plants’ upper roots and tender foliage.
How To
Fertilizers can be applied around the plant root zone by side-dressing. Perennials need only a couple of tablespoons of fertilizer, whereas trees do best with a couple of cups. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for application rates. Ensure your granular fertilizer doesn’t end up clustered in the crown of plants, as this can burn foliage. If your plants are struggling in the summer, you can apply a water-soluble fertilizer once a week for 3 to 4 weeks to give plants a boost.
Plants can Survive without Feeding; they cannot Survive without Water!
A lack of water makes plants more prone to diseases and pests, produce fewer or smaller blooms, and have weak stem and leaf growth. Many plants have perished because they did not get enough water at the time of planting and during their first growing season. Roots develop in the first growing season. Big feet means big plants.
I know this from personal experience. You need to promote healthy, strong, deep roots to grow healthy, vigorous plants with abundant blooms.
Think Roots First!
Lexi Dearborn