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Grandma's Fool-Proof Wet Planting Technique

October 1, 2001 by Evelyn J. Hadden

My grandma, who coaxes plants to thrive in the desert, taught me this planting method. Though my climate
offers abundant rain in spring and fall, summers can be mighty dry. I've found that giving my plants this init
boost helps them to establish more quickly and need less future maintenance. I use this technique when
planting in any season.

Step 1. Soak plants before planting them.

Unwrap bare-root plants as soon as you receive them and soak in a bucket of water for several hou
(minimum) to several days.
Water potted plants thoroughly just before planting. Make sure their soil is wet clear through.
For larger potted plants, plunge thempot and allinto a bucket of water and let stand for an hou
before planting to help them absorb a store of moisture.

Step 2. Dress for immersion.

Your shoes will certainly be drenched during wet planting, along with pant cuffs and probably sleeve cuffs too
I wear old loafers or tennies with socks and leather gloves. I usually wear long pants and a thin long-sleeved
shirt to minimize mosquito bites.

Step 3. Gather your tools.

You need a hose that will reach to your planting area.

A good spade will save lots of time, frustration, and energy. I use a long-bladed spade approximately
four feet talleighteen inches of that is blade, and the blade is rounded, not squared off, at the
bottom. (For planting very small seedlings, a hand-held trowel or Hori knife will usually suffice.)
You might want a small retractable blade for larger potted plants.
Have on hand enough wood chips or other mulch material to cover the new plants and, if available, a
nutrient source such as compost, rotted manure, or grass clippings.

Step 4. Dig a hole.

For a larger potted plant, dig a hole just large enough to hold the root ball.
For a smaller seedling, a shallower slit might work. See the special section at right for tips on plantin
small seedlings.
For a transplant, dig a hole large enough to hold the excavated root ball.
For a taprooted plant, make a deep slit in the ground with your spade and open a gap just wide
enough for the root.
For a bare-root plant with spreading roots, dig a shallow hollow wide enough that you can spread o
the plant's roots and cover them.

Step 5. Make a mud-hole.

Fill the hole with water. As it drains, add half the dirt you took out. Stir with a stick if you have heavy or har
packed soil. It will make a nice muddy soup.

Step 6. Prepare the plant.

Do not disturb a recently dug transplant's root ball unless you want to divide it into several smaller plants; it
was growing in heavy, dry soil that is caked around the roots like cement and that you'd like to lighten up w
compost or other organic matter; or perennial weed roots have infiltrated it and you don't want to spread
them to new places.

Remove a potted plant from its pot.

If the soil crumbles away from the roots and they form a loose ball, try to keep the plant's root ball
intact.
If the roots are massed together with the soil into a hard, pot-shaped clump, untangle them before
planting. You may need to make several vertical cuts around the edge of the mass using the
retractable blade. Gently pry the ends of the roots away from the clump and try to spread them out
(so they will grow away from the clump instead of strangling each other).

Step 7. Plant it.

Gently push the plant's intact root ball or untangled mass of roots into the mudhole. It should be watery
enough that you don't strain the roots or break them off (add more water as needed). When the plant is
settled in the mud, push the rest of the dirt over its roots.

Step 8. Water it in.

Add more water to the dirt you just added until you have a soggy mess around the plant's base. Make sure
the plant doesn't sink too deep under the weight of the soil and water. If it is sitting too low, you can usually
pull it upward a bit while it's still immersed in mud. Or you may have to insert your spade into the mud unde
it and pry it up gently until it's sitting level with the surrounding ground.

Step 9. Mulch it.

This is why I love mulch; it makes the wet planting (slightly) less messy. Throw a layer of wood chips or oth
mulch over the mud, then use your foot to gently but firmly press down the soil over the roots all the way
around the base of the plant. This gives the plant solid seating, helps soil contact all the roots, and ensures
that they have immediate and lasting access to moisture.

Note about wood chips: If you're using wood chips as mulch, they do tend to create a Nitrogen deficit becaus
their decomposition requires Nitrogen and removes it from the surrounding soil. You can counter this by
sprinkling compost, rotted manure, or grass clippings around the plant before you top it off with wood chips.
Gravel is an alternative mulch material that won't deplete soil Nitrogen, but don't use limestone gravel unles
your plants prefer alkaline soil. Pine needles or pine bark are also fine mulches, but use them only for plants
that prefer acidic soil.

Step 10. Water again.

Use a lower flow to wet down the mulch you just added. I also sprinkle the plant's leaves at this point to was
away any accumulated dust. If the plant looks like it's swimming in mud, I let the water drain and then pack
down the base again with my feet or hands to ensure that the plant is solidly seated in the soil.

Remember not to pack the soil down too tightly. This is especially important if you garden in clay soil. The so
should dry with its air pockets intact, so it will hold moisture like a big sponge rather than forming a hard-
packed, moisture-resisting brick.
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