Planting Concepts: Important Factors to Remember When Choosing Garden Plants

December 10, 2019

Garden plants are a great way to increase the value of your outdoor living spaces. Not only do they help improve the aesthetics of your backyard, they also perform their environment function of providing oxygen that lets you and your family breathe in fresh and clean air. However, you can’t grow just any plant in your garden. Below are important factors to remember when choosing garden plants.

Soil Condition

The environment is one of the most important elements to consider when choosing garden plants. Soil type and condition, along with climate can strongly affect your choice of garden plants. In order to know more about what plants are most suitable for your environment, you must perform a soil test in order to measure several factors including ph level, nutrient deficiencies, drainage, soil type, etc. Another important soil characteristic is soil porosity. Select appropriate plants for wet and dry sites too.  If there are existing plant materials growing on the site, pay attention to what is successful and use that as an additional piece of information in choosing your garden plants.

Pest Control

Garden plants can be prone to diseases that can severely damage their health and require treatment. Insects can also be a problem. However, some garden plant species are more resistant to such threats. To avoid dealing with these problems in the future, take some time to check which plants may have a higher resistance to parasites and diseases. Spend time researching the benefits and challenges about a garden plant including their susceptibility to insects and diseases. For instance, lilac shrubs come down with powdery mildew, scale and borers.  Roses are confronted with aphids, Japanese beetles, black spot and mildew.  The only plant claimed to be pest-free is the Gingko.

Size

All garden plants grow into varying shapes and sizes. Before choosing your garden plants, you have to know how big these will grow when fully mature.  You have to be mindful of them outgrowing the area you have planted them in.  Additionally roots can spread extensively and therefore potentially damage your home’s foundations. The height and spread of trees and shrubs will vary somewhat due to soil conditions and other factors. However, if you have approximated their size, you can prevent overcrowding, interference with overhead utility wires, obstruction of vehicular and pedestrian traffic, and other problems. Properly selected garden plant materials also have longer life spans and require less maintenance.

Maintenance

Some garden plants have specific growing requirements and some may need to be pruned occasionally to keep them in shape and stop them from overtaking your garden.  With these things in mind, you need to decide whether you are prepared to spend the time required to keep your garden in order, or whether to choose low maintenance plants which give you less work. For more information on garden plants, contact Tuckerman Landscaping and Design. We are familiar with native and exotic plants with a range of colours, sizes, forms and textures through a chain of nursery suppliers across Victoria and Australia. We also ensure that your plants are watered efficiently, especially in hotter and drier seasons.

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