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Cooperative Extension Service |
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Agricultural
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Arbor Day
Dale Bumpers College
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Planting PlantsThe first thing everyone thinks about in the spring is planting. This is probably because planting is a lot more fun than many other gardening chores and fills one with anticipation of the forthcoming flowers, fruits, and vegetables. However, the most successful gardeners will delay planting until the soil is properly prepared. For annual flower gardens, weeds should be controlled either by cultivation or by chemical means before planting. In addition, fertilizer and other soil amendments should be applied two weeks before planting. Planting should also be delayed until any drainage problems have been remedied. After the site is prepared, frost tolerant and hardened plants can be planted in late March and early April. However, warm season plants such as marigolds, ageratum, and impatiens should not be planted until late April and possibly not until May. While spring is generally the time that we plant most plants, fall is often an equally good if not better time to plant many trees, shrubs, and perennials. Many trees and shrubs actually benefit from planting in late fall. Fall planting allows plants to get established long before the onset of summer's heat and drought. Fall is also a good time to transplant or dig and divide herbaceous perennials that bloom in the spring or early summer. Additionally, if you are trying to establish a wildflower meadow, fall is the best time for planting wildflower seeds. Plants that do not take well to fall planting are those that are not very cold hardy such as crape myrtles and evergreen magnolias. Ideally, gardeners should have their soil tested for fertility levels several months before planting so that they know how and when to apply fertilizer. Soil testing is a free service of the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. Gardeners can take soil samples to their local county extension office for testing. For more information on collecting a soil sample and what kind of information you will receive, go to the soil testing page of this website. |
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University of Arkansas • Division of Agriculture |
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