Some
of the basic information about plants, soils, planting, watering,
pruning, and caring for trees and shrubs is as follows:
1. Soil - Soil for planting, whether in the pot or in the
ground, should be able to drain well. The ideal soil for planting
is deep sandy clay or clayey loam; these types of soils drain well
without drying too quickly, and have enough air in the soil for healthy
root growth.
2. Watering - The frequency of watering plants depends on
the following: particular plant, age, season, temperature, humidity,
wind, soil characteristics, and method of watering. Frequent light
sprinkling and frequent heavy soaking are both improper watering techniques;
plants should be watered thoroughly and less frequently.
3. Pruning - Most fruit trees require pruning, especially
when they are dormant. Prune the top third to top half of dormant
trees.
4. Planting - When planting fruit trees in the ground, first
dig a hole larger than the entire root mass. Next, prepare the fill
soil which should contain humus or planting mix and the original soil
to be placed around the root mass.
5. Loss of Fruit - If a tree is not bearing much fruit, it
may be due to some of the following factors: too much or too little
water, age of tree, frost when in bloom, lack of pollination, excessive
or insufficient pruning, overly windy location, poor soil, or inadequate
fertilizing. Premature fruits may fall due to some of these factors
as well.
6. Exposure - Most fruit trees require a substantial amount
of direct sunlight and a warm environment.
7. Spraying - Most trees and shrubs require occasional spraying
for the plant's protection; consult your local nursery.
8. Fertilizing - In addition to light, air, water, and space
for roots, plants need food or nutrients; the most important nutrients
are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Labels on bags of fertilizers
indicate the percent content of these three nutrients. Consult your
local nursery when choosing a fertilizer.
Normally, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur are present in soils in
adequate amounts; nonetheless, some fertilizers include some of these
elements. Note that areas which have excessive rainfall generally
have low quantities of sulfur and nitrogen since these elements may
be leached away.
When fertilizer is being added to the soil mass of already planted
trees, it should be thoroughly mixed with the surrounding soil. Note
that the use of organic fertilizers will result in better taste, color,
and shape of fruit.
Shrubs are woody plants which grow by extending new stems from the
base; these stems are numerous and they rise from the ground up. Shrubs
vary in height from four inches to fifteen feet and some are good
for use as ground cover; they can also resemble vines by being stiff
and upright. Many shrubs produce colorful flowers and some shrubs
also produce fruit.