Gardening By The Yard # 2

To keep your plants healthy and thriving, prune them vigorously as needed to manage their size, ensure they are planted in a spot with the right light conditions (such as filtered morning sun and afternoon shade for some species), and transplant them properly with care to avoid damaging the roots. Using good soil, keeping them well-watered, and providing appropriate sun or shade based on the plant's needs are also important.

To transplant a shrub, first prune it to make it more manageable. Cut the top down to about a foot, use a shovel to loosen the root ball, wiggle it out of the container, and then lift it right out. Plant it in its new location with the appropriate conditions and care for it according to its needs.

For a Japanese maple that needs a new home, you should be careful if its roots have grown into the soil below its current container. Dig up those roots to free the root ball, move the tree with the container into a wheelbarrow, dismantle the container while avoiding damage to the roots, and then plant the tree in the ground in a suitable spot.

For conifers received as gifts, you can pot them in clay pots and place them on a patio so you can move them around and experiment with the amount of sun or shade they need. Once you understand the plants' needs, you can find them a permanent home in your landscape.

Garden bed preparation can be done anytime but is most common in late winter to early spring. Start by removing any weeds and plants you don't want. Pull back any existing mulch, add a 1-to-2-inch layer of compost, put the old mulch back in place, and add a fresh layer of mulch to a depth of about 3 inches. This process enriches the soil, replenishes mulch, and eliminates weeds, preparing the bed for new plants.

Carnivorous plants typically require wet soil and should be potted in containers that can hold water without it evaporating too quickly. Use a specially prepared soil mix that's low in nutrients, as these plants derive their minerals from the insects they catch. They should also have a winter dormancy period in a colder room or garage if your winters are too severe for them to be left outside. Avoid terracotta pots and don't transplant them too often.

When choosing a Japanese maple for your garden, consider the form (upright or cascading), leaf color (green or red), leaf shape and texture, and the specific requirements of the plant such as soil drainage and sun exposure. Japanese maples are hardy to zone 5 and do not require supplemental fertilizer. They can be a standout feature in your landscape and can also be grown in containers for a few years.