It is safest to ship live plants in a dormant state. We attempt to do this for as long as possible. If conditions are not suitable for planting when your plants arrive, please keep roots from drying out and keep the plant cool. Extended storage requires soil around your root. Please gradually acclimate plants to conditions before placing them in direct sunlight.
MULCHING – A lot of our directions call for mulching the plants. Please note that mulch should be left 2”- 3” away from the stem to prevent burning.
If you need further assistance, give us a call at: (207) 926-3400
ASPARAGUS –
Plant in well-drained, sandy loam soil with pH of 6.8-7.0. Place in furrows, 6”- 8” deep. Space plants 12”- 14” apart, crown up. Cover with 2” of soil, water well. Gradually fill in the furrow as shoots appear, eventually filling to ground level. Full sun.
BLACKBERRIES -
Plant in sandy-loam soil with a pH of 6.0 – 7.0. Plant 2” – 3” deep, 3’ apart. Amend soil with compost if needed. Mulch well to conserve moisture. Providing a trellis keeps the plants healthy and easier to harvest. Pruning Blackberries: Tipping the canes in the primocane year - (1st season growth) - triggers the side branches to grow, leading to more fruit and larger yields during the floricane year (2nd season growth). Full sun.
BLUEBERRIES -
Plant in loamy, well drained soil with pH of 4.5 – 5.5. Prepare the hole by amending your soil with compost. Make twice the diameter of the root ball and plant 4’-6’ apart. Keep well-watered. Mulch well as their roots are shallow. Remove flowers the first year to support root development. Amend soil pH by adding Iron Sulfate to soil and mulching with pine needles, or oak leaves. Full sun.
CHICAGO FIG –
Plant in sandy, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0-6.5. Choose a protected or south facing site to plant. Place in prepared hole amending with compost, 2”- 4” deeper than the root ball. Each winter, in the north, Chicago Hardy Fig will die back to the ground like a perennial flower and re- sprout in the late spring with all new growth. In the second year, limit the number of shoots to allow larger fruit to mature. Full sun.
DAHLIA-
Grow in full sun. Plant outdoors after your last frost date. You can pot up dahlia tubers a few weeks early to bring on earlier blooms. Plant tubers so the crown is at or just below the surface. Plant in rich, well-drained soil. For heavy clay soil amend with sand and compost for better drainage. They are considered a tender perennial and grown as an annual in zone 8 and below. You can simply dig up the tubers in the fall, store them for the winter, and replant them the following spring.
DAYLILIES -
Set plants into soil with crown up and packing down the soil around the roots. Soil needs: moist, well-drained, and fertile. Amend with compost if necessary. Mulch to retain moisture until plants are established. Daylilies multiply in clumps, growing larger each season and easily split to produce more plants. Full Sun.
ELDERBERRY -
Plant 3’ apart in rows 4-5 feet apart. Soil needs: well drained, rich and loamy. Adaptable to most soils. Elderberry roots are shallow and will not tolerate drought. Mulch and keep well water until established. Prune broken or dead canes in the spring. Full sun.
GARLIC –
Separate cloves and plant root end down, 2”-4” deep, 6” apart. Encourage vigorous growth by amending soil with compost and applying a foliar spray every two weeks, until bulb forms. Keep mulched to conserve moisture. Harvest when leaves turn brown. Full sun.
GLADIOULUS -
Plant corms in full sun, 3” – 6” deep and 3”-6” apart in well drained soil. Zone 7 or below. Dig corms before frost and store in a dry area 45°F. Hardy in zone 8-11.
GRAPES -
Plant in well-drained soil with pH of 5.5-6.5 in full sun, 5’- 6’ apart. Spread roots in prepared hold, cover with at least 2” of soil. It is best to have the row run north to south for best light exposure. Train new growth to trellis or support. Prune in early spring, leaving only the strongest branches. Full sun.
HOPS –
Plant in loose, well-drained soil, 1” deep and 3’ apart (make sure new growth is facing up). Once the vines are 1’ long, select 2-6 to train to sturdy supports. Remove the rest. Hops are slow growing the first year as they need to develop deep roots. Full sun.
HORSERADISH –
Plant in prepared hole 1’ in diameter. Place root at 45° angle and cover with soil (leave one end of root within 1” of the soil surface. Keep well-watered. Full sun.
LILIES-
Loosen soil up to a depth of 12-15". Plant bulb pointed side up and 3 times deep as the height of the bulbs. Place 12" apart. Soil needs: well-drained and fertile. Amend with compost if necessary. Plant in the spring when temperatures are above 50 degrees. April/May for zones 4-6, March/April for zones 7-9. Full Sun.
ONIONS
Onion plants arrive dormant. They will be dry and recover once properly planted. Full sun, fertile soil, and 1 inch of water a week are essential needs for successful onion bulbs. Plant in soil amended with compost, well-aged manure, or a balanced fertilizer. Harvest bulbs when the necks have become soft and fall over. Pull up and dry for a few days in the field (if there is no rain predicted) Move indoors to continue drying, 2-3 weeks until stems are completely dry,( you won't be able to squeeze any water out of the necks). Cut off tops and roots and store in mesh bags, above freezing at 65-70% humidity.
LONG DAY- Northern areas. Bulb out with 14+ hours of daylight
INTERMEDIATE- Widely adapted except far north/deep south. Bulb out with 12-13 hours of daylight.
SHORT DAY- Southern areas. Bulb out with 10 hours of daylight.
PEONY-
Grow in full sun. Plant in average, well-drained soil amended with compost. Dig a hole twice as deep and twice as wide as your root. Place the root with the eyes facing up placing it within 1-2" of the soil surface. DO NOT plant too deep.
POTATOES –
To encourage eye growth – keep at room temperature. Plant whole or cut into pieces with 2-3 eyes each. Allow cut pieces to air dry for at least 24 hours. Plant 6” deep, 6” apart in rows 3’ apart. Hill soil up, or use leaves, straw or compost over vines, leaving only a small portion exposed to keep developing tubers covered. Dig before first heavy frost. Store at 40°F. Full sun.
RAMPS-
Plant in a rich wooded area with filtered light. The moist, fertile soil of a deciduous forest (maples and beeches, etc), along streams and rivers is their natural growing area. Choose a site void of evergreens such as pines, laurel, holly, etc. Plant 3” deep up to 1’ apart with the tip up, slightly above the ground. Cover with leaves from hardwoods. If you do not have a wooded area available, use a shade structure, such as shade cloth, over the planting area to mimic forest canopy conditions. Provide adequate moisture through- out the growing season, not just during new growth periods. To ensure harvestable ramps for years to come, only harvest 15% of the plot each year. The active growing period is early and short. They die back in the heat needing protection from the harsh sun.
RASPBERRY –
Plant in sandy-loam soil with a pH of 6.0 – 7.0. Plant 2” – 3” deep, 3’ apart. Mulch well to conserve moisture. Pruning: Cut Fall or Ever-bearing brambles to the ground after harvest (they fruit on the current year’s growth). Summer bearing varieties fruit on year old growth (cut the fruit bearing canes to the ground after harvest, leaving new canes to bear fruit the next year). Full sun.
RHUBARB –
Plant in well-drained soil. Place in prepared 3’x 3’ hole that has been amended with compost or well rotted manure. Do not plant too deeply (mark sure top of the root is no more than 2” from the surface). Do not harvest 1st year. Remove flower stalk for stronger leaf production. Full sun.
SHALLOT SETS
Plant 6-8" apart, 1-2" deep. Start planting in early spring as soon as the ground can be worked. Soil needs: moist, well-drained, and fertile. Amend with compost and organic fertilizer. They are heavy feeders so fertilize regularly. Harvest when the tops have fallen over and dry in a warm, well-ventilated space for 2-3 weeks. Full sun.
SIBERIAN IRIS-
Plant in full sun. Grow in sandy, loamy soil but tolerates all types, even heavy clay soil. Set the rhizomes 1 inch deep (2 inches, if the soil is sandy), 2 feet apart. Do not mulch around the rhizome as this may encourage rot.
STRAWBERRIES –
Plant in well-drained sandy loam with a pH of 6.5-6.8. Set plants 8”- 12” apart with the crown at soil level. Remove flowers first season to support root growth. Mulching with straw 1”- 2” deep to keeps berries clean, conserves moisture, and control weeds. Full sun.
WITCH HAZEL-
Plant in full sun to partial sun. Prefers slightly acidic, moist soil. Dig a hole for planting that is deep as the roots and wide enough to allow the roots to spread. Amend soil with compost prior to planting if necessary. Water regularly.