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'Hard planting'

pjwizonpjwizon Posts: 52
edited September 2019 in Tools and techniques
The technique of hard planting came up on last night's GW, i.e., watering in a newly planted plant only once, and a second time only if it's visibly distressed. I know Beth Chatto used this technique in her dry garden and Monty said he used it. The theory is plants have to work harder to find water by growing deeper roots, which makes them more resilient. 

What are your views on this? Has anyone tried it? It would certainly make sense in my garden, which has poor sandy frre draining soil. 
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  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I sometimes don't water in plants at all. Our ground stays moist most of the time, so it's often unnecessary. 
    The trick is to water properly and thoroughly  to start with. 
    It does depend on what you're planting and when though. A large specimen would need attention, whereas a tiny one wouldn't need as much aftercare. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    I  didn't know it was a theory. But being a lazy and neglectful gardener, that's what I tend to do. Most survive -some don't.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    If it droops, I water it. Better that than dead.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Yes I do, I learnt that from my dad, he said if you are not going to stand there with hose pipe on all night, you’re best not doing it all, the roots will go down and down until they find moisture. 

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    When Beth Chatto planted her dry garden she and her team did weeks of soil preparation first.  The site was the former car park so compacted and up on the high end of her plot so well drained and getting only about 8" of rain a year.

    They dug to loosen the soil and then piled on masses of moisture retentive material such as garden compost and well-rotted manure.  Only then did they plant, water and mulch.

    Monty's garden is on clay wich is rich in nutrients and holds moisture.  He has spent decades mulching every year and now has very good soil and decent rainfall so his plants have a head start.

    Just tucking some poor plant into sandy soil and expecting it to grow with no help isn't the same.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    That’s true, Obe,  ours has had so much compost on it it’s lovely condition now, I never feed anything with else.
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • madpenguinmadpenguin Posts: 2,543
    I usually make sure the plant is well watered in it's pot before planting out,then I dig a hole,fill that with water and wait for it to drain away and then I put in the plant fill with soil and once firmed in give it a final water.
    I then tend to forget the plant and it either survives or dies!!
    “Every day is ordinary, until it isn't.” - Bernard Cornwell-Death of Kings
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    I live in area with very low rainfall (not far from Beth Chatto’s).

    I spend time on soil prep and water thoroughly and deeply when planting. Any shrubs and trees usually get a bucket of water once a week in their first summer unless it’s a wet / cool one. After that I try very hard not to water at all to encourage them to seek out water. Borders are all mulched in early spring.

    We are now coming to the end of a second very warm and dry summer. There was very little rain last winter. Ground water levels are at a 30 year low. There are dead trees in local hedgerows. Some trees and shrubs I planted nearly 10 years ago are droopy but I am resisting the urge to water because I think that way lies madness trying to keep on top of watering. The garden is a third of an acre. I cannot water it deeply on a regular basis.

    It will be interesting to see how things are next year. Fingers crossedfor a soaking wet autumn and winter.
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    A lot depends on your local conditions and the type of plants you are putting in. My heavy clay garden becomes very waterlogged in winter, even with improved soil, because the water table is high. But in summer we have had severe drought for two summers and the ground is baked. Weeds are drooping. Everything I plant has to cope with wet and dry so a bit of watering for newer plants is essential.
  • edhelkaedhelka Posts: 2,351
    I live in a very rainy area and plants usually don't need more than the initial watering in. But it depends on when I plant. If it is spring or autumn planting, they will be fine. Obviously, in summer (I mean July and the second half of June if it is a good summer), they need more watering. I have very light sandy soil and the upper layer dries out quickly. Small plants would die before having the chance to grow deeper roots.
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