Norm's Greenhouse & Nursery Plant Care Notes

Care notes: 

• Appropriate pruning timing will encourage flowering and plant growth-please request additional pruning information for your specific plantings if questions.

• Fertilization is not recommended in the first year after installation. 

• Tree guards and deer protection(where applicable) should be installed by November 1st, and removed around May 15th. 

• Watering in the morning is best so that the plants can absorb the water before the heat gets to them. The risk of watering at night is that the damp leaves might encourage fungal issues.

• To check if you are watering your perennials, trees, and shrubs correctly, feel the soil at the edge of the root zone. The goal is to ensure that the soil is damp below the surface. 

• Soaker hoses can be helpful for trees and shrubs and some perennials. Soaker hoses “weep” at different rates, so you will need to monitor these the first few days to get a sense of how long it takes to adequately water the plants.

Watering instructions:

Perennials

During the initial two seasons, water perennials and groundcovers every other day, allowing the soil to dry between waterings. Watch for wilting, especially in hot weather, as a sign of needing more water. Use a sprinkler, soaker hose, or hand watering for perennials, ensuring thorough moistening by leaving the sprinkler on for about 30 minutes per area. After the first two seasons, rely on regular rainfall for most perennials, but during droughts, consider supplemental watering once or twice weekly.

Woody plants (trees & shrubs)

Trees and shrubs need extra watering, best done by placing a hose a few inches from their trunks on a slow trickle for 30-45 minutes for trees and 15-20 minutes for shrubs, one to two times weekly until winter dormancy. After two to three seasons, they're considered established and generally only need rainwater, though in droughts, extra watering might be necessary one or two times weekly until conditions improve.

Container plants

Plants in containers dry out more quickly than in-ground plants. For most containers, daily watering is recommended, particularly on warmer days.