When Your Plants Arrive

Your plants have made it home! A little care in the first few days helps them settle in and grow strong. Here's how to give them the best start.

1. Unpack right away

Open the box as soon as it arrives, even if you can't plant yet. Gently lift each plant out by its pot (not by the stems) and stand it upright. Brush off any soil that shifted during the trip.

2. Check the soil

Push a finger about an inch into the soil. If it feels dry, water slowly until it drains from the bottom of the pot. If it's still damp, wait a day.

3. Let them rest

Your plants just spent a few days in a dark box. Place them somewhere sheltered with bright shade, like a porch or under a tree, for 1–3 days before moving them into full sun. This helps them adjust without stress.

4. Plant them

Try to plant within a week or two. Until then, keep them in their pots and check the soil every day, since small pots dry out quickly.

When you're ready:

• Dig a hole twice as wide as the pot and about as deep.
• Slide the plant out. If the roots are circling the pot, gently loosen them with your fingers.
• Set the plant so the top of its soil is level with the ground, not buried deeper.
• Fill in around it with soil and press gently.
• Water deeply, then add 2–3 inches of mulch, keeping it a few inches away from the stems.

5. The first few weeks

Water deeply 2–3 times a week for the first month, more in hot or windy weather and less if it rains. Deep, less frequent watering helps roots grow down into the soil. Hold off on fertilizer until the plant shows new growth.

What's normal (and what's not)

Normal: a little drooping, a few yellow or dropped leaves, fallen flowers, or a bent stem after the trip. Most plants perk up within a week or two once they're watered and settled.

Also normal in fall and winter: many perennials and shrubs go dormant in the cooler months. Your