Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
2
P L A N T QUA L I T Y ,
P RO PAG AT I ON A ND
P E R F OR M A N C E
Choosingtherightplantatthenursery
Do you pick the tallest because it looks the
best value? How do you determine which
plant will perform the best in your landscape?
Most certainly it is not the tallest one!
The quality of your nursery purchase and how
a plant is propagated influences how it will
behave in your landscape.
Robust, well grown plants will establish easily,
need practically no remedial pruning at
planting, and if well cared for, will reward the
gardener by reaching their maximum
potential. Seek out reputable nurseries and
pay that little bit extra to avoid possible
disappointment in the future.
Once you have decided which plants you want
to grow, there are a few criteria to keep in
mind when selecting a healthy plant that will
establish well. This is most important when
selecting trees or large woody shrubs. Smaller
plants such as grasses and sub-shrubs are
unlikely to be stressed and destabilised by
wind, and in the case of herbaceous
perennials, the roots and shoots are renewed
annually. This is not so with trees.
How a plant has been propagated or
produced also influences a plant's
performance and how it can be pruned.
A well-staked plant will have a strong root
system anchoring it in the ground.
Conversly, a badly staked plant can lead
to a dangerously unstable tree that could be
ever-reliant on its props.
Trees are long-term members of the
landscape and, due to their size, they need to
be structurally sound to resist high winds
without losing limbs or falling. They also
need vigorous root systems to take up water
and nutrients from the soil to establish in
their new homes and to anchor the plant in
the ground.
The timing of your pruning will also
determine the vigour of your plant, whether
you need rapid growth or need to restrict a
plant's size.
