Autumn and spring are popular planting seasons, although most potted plants can be planted in any season if conditions are right with mild temperatures so it’s not too hot or too cold. Avoid planting during periods of extreme weather as plants need stress-free conditions to recover from transplant shock and establish healthy growth.

Good soil preparation is essential, so before planting, follow our tips on preparing the soil for planting.

Follow these simple steps to successful plant establishment.

1. Pick the best location in the garden for the plant selected. Check the plant tag for information on its ideal growing situation including sun or shade preferences, mature height and width.
2. Does the plant have enough room to grow– up and across?
3. Will the plant be shaded by other plants?
4. Is the plant too close to the house? Plant roots can upset the footings of the house or get into the sewerage and older terracotta water pipes.
5. Weed the area thoroughly before planting (they compete with plants for water and nutrients) and remove rocks. Break up soil clods. Apply a natural pelletised soil conditioner such as Seasol Plant + Soil Booster and mix it into the soil.
6. Dig a planting hole as deep as the root ball and roughly three times as wide. This will help to loosen the soil, aerating it and allowing the plant roots to easily get through the soil once they start growing.
7. Put the plant in its pot into a bucket of Seasol and water while preparing the planting hole, so the Seasol solution can penetrate the root ball. This will help with transplant shock and aid plant establishment. If the pot is too large for a bucket, simply add Seasol to a watering can and water the plant (follow recommended application rates).
8. Apply Seasol Plant + Soil Booster to the bottom of the hole, this will aid plant establishment and promote healthy soil around the root base. Remove the plant and pot from the bucket of Seasol and remove the plant from the pot. Do this carefully so as not to damage the roots. If the plant is pot bound (the roots are densely matted and circling), tease the roots so they are less matted and cut off any damaged roots. Root bound plants are slower to establish after planting and may fail to thrive.

9. Carefully position the plant in the hole and backfill with soil. If a stake is required, put it in place now to avoid damaging the roots (see step 11, below, for details on staking). Ensure that the plant is at the same depth as it was in the original container (or in its original location if transplanting). For transplanted plants, position it so it has the same orientation to the sun as it did in its original location (eg the same side faces the sun).

10. Finish planting. Gently, but firmly compress the soil around

Autumn and spring are popular planting seasons, although most potted plants can be planted in any season if conditions are right with mild temperatures so it’s not too hot or too cold. Avoid planting during periods of extreme weather as plants need stress-free conditions to recover from transplant shock and establish healthy growth.

Good preparation is essential, so before planting, follow our tips for potting mix for potted plants.

Follow these simple steps to successful pot plant establishment.

1. Select the right pot for the plant. Factors that may influence this decision include pot size, position and aesthetics.
   1. The right size pot for the plant, depends on the plant itself. As a guide, select a pot that easily contains the plant’s root ball with room for new growth.
   2. The pot’s position within the house or outside in the garden can dictate pot selection. If the pot is located in a sunny position, then a lighter colour pot that reflects the sun may be the better choice. If it is in an exposed situation a heavy container is important to avoid damage from the pot blowing over.
   3. Aesthetics are also import, for example, if the pot has to be a certain colour or size to match the décor or theme.

2. Before planting, fill a bucket or other large container with water and Seasol and completely submerge the plant to be repotted (to the soil level). Wait until bubbles stop, then remove the pot and allow it to drain.
3. Choose a pot with drainage holes in its base or a separate water reservoir. Partially fill pot with potting mix. If it is a large, heavy, outdoor pot, you might want to move it to where it will sit permanently, before potting it.
4. Squeeze or tap the pot gently before removing the plant from the pot. This makes it easier to remove the root ball from the pot. Loosening and breaking up the root system is not required with small plants, but may be necessary for plants with large root systems.
5. Place the plant into the partially filled pot and put more potting mix in around the root ball. Press the potting mix gently around the plant so the mix is approximately 25mm below the rim of pot.  The plant should be at the same depth in its new pot as it was in the original container (don’t bury the stem or expose surface roots).

6. Water in gently with Seasol and let the pot drain.

7. Surround the new plant with a layer of mulch to keep the roots cool and moist. Use an organic mulch such as sugar cane or an inorganic mulch such as pebbles or gravel. Finally place plants in position.

8. Periodically check on your plant’s progress. Apply Seasol every week for the first 4-6 weeks to get the plant off to a flying start. Continue with regular applications of Seasol throughout the year to boost