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Planting shrubs this week - fertiliser

Wilson73Wilson73 Posts: 136
in Plants
Hi folks,I have a couple of Hebes and a Pieres Japonica "little heath" and something else yet undecided.When I plant these can anyone tell me what I should add with them,am I right in thinking it's too late in the year to add any fertiliser.I have some Westland Growmore.
Should I just add the usual compost and some bonemeal around the root when putting in the hole?

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I certainly wouldn't be feeding anything at this time of year  :)
    Bonemeal is ideal for root establishment, and is all they'd need, apart from the usual prep of the planting hole.
    Shrubs need very little food, as long as they're in decent soil, and that can have compost/leaf mould - any organic matter,  added every so often, which is a far better way of sustaining them long term. Feeding the soil is always a better approach for shrubs  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
     Mix any compost you have into the soil area where you want to plant. This could be out of the compost heap, or old used tomato compost or anything like that. It is low in nutrient  , but adds fibre.  Then mix in bonemeal. This will break down slowly and give the roots a good start over winter.  Dig your hole at least twice the size of the pot that is going in it. If it is potbound, tease out or slash the rootball. Plant then backfill. Give each plant a bucket of water to settle it down. Then feed it in spring with the growmore. If you feed growmore now, you get lush sappy growth that the frosts will kill.
  • Wilson73Wilson73 Posts: 136
    Thanks,I'm glad I asked.I hope it's dry next week for my planting.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Planting when it's wet is ideal  ;)
    As long as the ground's not waterlogged, but then - you wouldn't be planting any of those in that kind of ground anyway  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Wilson73Wilson73 Posts: 136
    Fairygirl said:
    Planting when it's wet is ideal  ;)
    As long as the ground's not waterlogged, but then - you wouldn't be planting any of those in that kind of ground anyway  :)

    That's good,I'm waiting for a couple of plants to arrive and I hope to get this done this week.
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