How do I care for my new tree/plants?

How do I care for my new plants?

If you check out our planting instructions HERE, we cover some basic care for each of the main kinds of plants we carry. Due to the large variety of plants we grow, we are still updating more thorough instructions for them on the website, but we are happy to answer specific questions about plant care if you have them!

In general, especially for the trees, one of the most important things is to stay on top of watering in the first year.

Do I need to apply fertilizer/compost?

You generally don’t have to apply fertilizer/compost unless your soil is exceptionally nutrient poor, but if you want your tree to thrive and 'hit the ground running' so to speak, it's not a bad idea to give it some extra love. We offer the following organic options if you do need to fertilize:

• Liquid Fish: With an NPK ratio of 2-3-0, liquid fish also helps with the development of beneficial mycorrhizal fungi in the soil which aids your plant’s ability to take up nutrients. *use raw, cold pressed fish hydrolysate. Found HERE.
• Liquid Kelp: liquid kelp contains a variety of trace minerals that are important for the health of your plants along with various plant hormones that provide a myriad of benefits such as improved root development. Found HERE.
• Bone Meal: With an NPK ratio of 4-10-0, bone meal is a great source of phosphorous which improves root development and calcium. Found HERE.
• Effective Microbes: Nurture Growth is an Ontario based company specializing in brewing food waste into a living, biologically fermented fertilizer. Found HERE.

Excess nitrogen especially can burn the roots of plants, so be mindful not to apply too much, or letting high N products come in close contact with bareroot plants. If you want to add compost, we recommend mixing it into the top couple of inches of the soil after your plants are in the ground so it can leach down slowly.

How much Root Rescue should I use?

The 22.5g of Root Rescue is good for about 10 trees and the 45g is good for 20-25. We recommend taking about a tablespoon, adding it to a 5gal pail, adding a small amount of soil (preferably clay, so the spores stick to the roots better), and then filling it with water to create a slurry. Then dip the trees in the mix before planting them to innoculate the roots. 

Once the trees are all planted, fill the bucket with water again and use it as a soil drench to make the most of the mixture.

Why do I have to prune off so much of my tree when I plant it?

Although the initial ⅓ heading cut can seem extreme, it is important for encouraging the tree to focus on growing roots once it has been planted in its new home. A strong root system allows your tree to better access water and nutrients and to remain anchored. In the long-term this will be highly beneficial to the growth and health of your tree.