Frequently Asked Questions – Garden Collection
BUYING TRIED & TRUE PLANTS
SOIL BUILDING AND FERTILIZING
- What’s the best type of potting soil mix to use?
- What’s the best type of fertilizer to use?
- How often should I fertilize?
WATERING
PLANT RECOMMENDATIONS
- Which plants do you recommend for garden beds, hanging baskets, and window boxes?
- Which plants do you recommend for shade?
Buying Tried & True Plants
Where can I buy TRIED & TRUE plants in my local area?
Please refer to ‘FIND A RETAILER‘.
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Soil Building and Fertilizing
What’s the best type of potting soil mix to use?
Any well drained, ready-to-use potting soil will suffice.
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What’s the best type of fertilizer to use?
We suggest using a plant food high in nitrogen and potassium but low in phosphates. Fertilizers come in an array of formulations and are labelled with their respective N:P:K (N = Nitrogen, P = Phosphate and K = Potassium) ratios. Choose a fertilizer with a high first and third number and a low middle number like 20-8-20 or similar. It would also be beneficial if the fertilizer has an adequate amount of iron, if it does not, periodic feeding with iron will help to prolong plant life and enhance performance.
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How often should I fertilize?
When Tried & True plants are grown by commercial growers they are fertilized every time they are watered to keep optimum feed levels in the soil and ensure plant health and vigour. In the home garden, feeding your Tried & True plants every two weeks with a high nitrogen fertilizer will suffice, giving the plants the nutrients they will need to keep growth vigorous and blooms continuous.
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Watering
How often should I water?
Generally Tried & True plants like to be kept moist but not continually wet. A good rule of thumb as to when to water your plants is to stick your finger in the soil and if it feels dry to the touch it is time to water. Make sure that when you water containers you saturate the soil so that some water runs out of the drain holes. This is especially important when fertilizing your Tried & True plants. During the warm and sunny days of summer Tried & True plants will probably require water on a daily basis.
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Plant Recommendations
Which plants do you recommend for garden beds, hanging baskets, and window boxes?
Which plants do you recommend for shade?
For planting in shaded locations, we recommend:
• Coleus Sunny series
• Fuchsia
• Impatiens Double Delight series
• Lobelia
• Torenia Dream series
• Trailing Snapdragon Fruit Salad Series
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