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how long can i wait to plant?

7 years ago

I recently went to the garden center and purchased a peony, some arbovitae, a fig tree, and some blueberry bushes. Then I got really busy with work. I feel so guilty that they are sitting outside in their pots! Is it bad to wait a week or two after buying the plants to actually plant them?

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Comments (5)

Jean
7 years ago
That happens to a lot of us. Just make certain they're kept watered while they wait. In fact, you might keep them in light shade, or dappled shade, which will reduce their need for water.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
7 years ago
They sit around at the nursery like that until purchased, sometimes for months. As long as you give them the proper care, as outlined by Jean, they should be fine. Be sure to loosen the rootballs before planting to offset any potential girdling or circling that might occur from them being pot bound.
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I guess if you are concerned about compaction, you could slowly add "layers" of soil back to the planting hole and compress the soil FIRMLY with your hands and water between each layer. With bare root, you need to insure that all of the roots are in VERY good contact with the soil. You don't have to be concerned about this with potted specimens because their roots are not cured and dried out. They are planted with the existing soil ball intact. If your soil is such that it is prone to compaction, then amendments to the backfill soil might be in order. Those are just my thoughts..... Kristi
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We did the same thing and received our Arbor Day trees about 2 weeks ago. They were not large enough to be consider trees, medium size weeds would be a better description. In the instructions received with the trees, it recommended that the trees be potted and maintained in pots for a year or so, before planting them in the yard. Or until they were of a size you would buy in a nursery. Since it is recommended to not plant trees in any thing but the dirt from the hole they will be planted in, We went into the back of our lot and filled 10 - one gallon pots with dirt. We then planted one tree per pot. Like other plants waiting to be planted, their home for the next couple of years will be out front porch. This has an advantage over putting them in the yard. We have a lot of wild life in our yard, deer rabbits, squirrels, and etc. Keeping the small trees on our porch will protect them from deer, rabbits, and other small animals and discourage the squirrels We live east of Raleigh and rarely experience 0 temperatures, Rarely do we get snow and if we do it last not more than a day. Those in colder ares may need to grow them in a small tree house or a hot bed.
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linnea56, this fall I dug up three flower beds that were overgrown with grass and weeds and am in the process of redesigning them. I took all the various lilies from two beds and replanted in a third bed. I still have about 30 bulbs to plant and basically I've got them sitting in some slightly moist vermiculite. I've planted lilies where the top 2" of soil was frozen and they made it through our winters just fine, of course they were Asiatics. I have moved one group of lilies from one spot and replaced them with other lilies in the same spot, not problem. I don't use and kind of fertilizer when I plant bulbs in the fall although I can't see it hurting if you add some bone meal. I've also got some Canna lilies I have to dig up so will probably plant my Asiatics in their place. Hope this helps. Stan
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agardenstateof_mind
7 years ago
It does happen to a lot of us. Good suggestions above; the only thing I'll add is to stop feeling guilty :-)
garybeaumont_gw
7 years ago
Blueberry bushes will need alot of organic matter (compost, peat moss) mixed into your soil before planting. You will also need an acidic soil (4.5 to 5.5). It would be better to wait until you have added the peat moss if you need to lower the pH before you plant. It is always better to have a good seedbed before you plant because you are limited on what you can do after you plant. I have grown my blueberries in 15 gallon pots going on 5 years without any problems. Waiting a few days will not hurt them as long as you do not let them dry out.
Daria Wild
Original Author
7 years ago
Thanks everyone! great info!

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