Helping new plants establish in the garden

1. Soil preparation is an important step. When planting in the ground, add in plenty of organic matter like homemade compost straight from your compost bin. It will help to improve drainage whilst adding a boost of nutrients too.

2. Before planting, make it a smoother transition by thoroughly watering the compost in the pot. This should make it easier to transfer the plant from the pot to the ground.

3. When transferring a potted plant to the ground, you may see roots circling the compost in the shape of the pot. Gently tease these out and move them out of the compost slightly to encourage them to grow outwards into the soil.

4. New plants will benefit from a good layer of mulch, around 5cm thick. Not only will this help to insulate the plants and keep the soil warm, but it will help to retain moisture too.

5. Trimming back new plants by one third after planting will decrease the amount of top growth, therefore less water is needed. This helps to keep the plant more stable whilst it establishes, for stronger growth.

6. Ensure new plants are getting the moisture they need by giving them a good soak every week or two. This is especially important if the weather is particularly hot and sunny or if the garden soil is light, dry, and sandy.

7. When buying plants from a garden centre, they may have had ample support and cover from other areas, so when planted in the garden may be slightly more vulnerable, so acclimatise them by protecting from the wind and staking them if necessary.