Guide to Planting & Transplanting

Make sure you are planting your new plant in a position that suits the plant. See below How to Choose the Best Position for Your Plant and also click here How-to-Grow Guide for what your plant needs.

Dig a hole that is the same depth and at least twice the width of the pot or root ball (if transplanting).

Mix in compost and Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser into the removed soil.

Position the plant in the hole, making sure that the plant's roots will be sitting only a centimetre underneath the surface.

Backfill with the newly improved soil, gently pressing down as you go - do not compact the soil as it will settle itself with watering and time.

Water the plant soil so that all the surrounding soil is thoroughly moist. Keep moist until the plant has become established.

You can also apply Yates Dynamic Lifter Liquid Concentrate to the foliage and soil help to reduce transplant shock. This is especially recommended for sensitive or water-loving plants.

Mulch is great for most plants. Apply a 5-8 cm layer of organic mulch, such as woodchip or sugarcane, keeping it away from the base of the trunk.

Avoid using inorganic mulches, such as stones and pebbles, as this will cause soil compaction and prevent any organic matter from entering and improving the soil.

You can also use weed mat, but you will need to remove it once a year to add organic matter, reset the weed mat, and refresh the mulch.

The aspect refers to the direction in which the plant will grow in a garden. There are east, west, south and north-facing gardens, and those that are somewhere in between.

East-facing gardens are partly shaded and have gentle morning sun and are great for plants that need some sun but protection from heat.

West-facing are partly shaded but have hot afternoon sun and are great for plants that need some sun and can tolerate heat.

South-facing gardens are mostly shaded and are great for plants that need shade and moist conditions.

North-facing gardens are great for plants that need full sun and warm and dry conditions.

There are a few soil conditions to consider when planting including soil depth, type, pH, and water repellency.

Soil Depth

Check the soil depth - trees need at least 45 cm, shrubs 30 cm, small grasses and turf 10-15 cm. If when you dig a hole you hit rock or clay, do not dig down any further than this. Either choose plants that are suitable for that soil depth, or bring in more soil - you can plant in gently sloping mounds, or install garden beds.

Soil Type

Check the soil type - for sandy soils, choose plants that need very well-drained and drier soil, and for clayey soils, choose plants that need well-drained but moist soil.

Soil pH

Check the soil pH - this is not always necessary unless you are planting something that has special soil pH needs such as a citrus tree, or other acid-loving plants like Gardenias, Camellias, and Azaleas. Click here for more info on What is Soil pH & How to Fix it.

Water-Repellent Soil

Check if the soil absorbs the water, or if the water just sits on top. Treat with a soil wetter if needed. Click here for more info on Water-Repellent & Hydrophobic Soil Treatment in Your Garden.

Soil Drainage

Check the drainage - after watering or rain, soils that stays very moist for a long time are "poorly drained" whereas soils that dry out quickly are "very well-drained". Most plants need somewhere in between where the soil stays moist for a time, but then eventually dries out.

For more info and tips on soil and soil improvement, click here for a Beginner's Guide to Soil & Soil Improvement.

Some nearby plants and structures can be helpful while others can be harmful.

Plants and structures might provide protection from winds or frosts. Plants might also reduce air circulation, increase competition, or are not the ideal companion plant. Some structures, especially metal fences and brick walls, create radiant heat and can cause plants to burn. If planting near a pool, check if the plant is salt or pollution tolerant.

Other things to consider when choosing a plant and the position it will grow include tolerance to wind, frost, or salt.

Keep your plants well watered in the days leading up to planting.

A plant that is sick or injured doesn't need the added stress of being planted in a new environment. Make sure you choose healthy stock from the nursery that are also not pot-bound, or bring the plant back to health before planting.

Avoid planting in summer. Potted plants are best planted in autumn, but can be planted in spring too. Bare-rooted plants are best planted in winter.

For annual plants, check the sowing and planting time for when to plant.

Preparation can take place a few days prior to transplanting and as early as a week before.

Prune off anything that is dead, diseased, or damaged, but don't prune off any healthy growth.

Keep the plant well-watered and hydrated until the day of transplanting.

Apply Yates Dynamic Lifter Liquid Concentrate to the foliage and the soil to reduce transplant shock.

Find a new position for the plant and prepare the soil. See How to Choose the Best Position for Your Plant and Step-by-Step Guide to Planting.

For plants that have flexible softwood, so that you can work around and under the plant, bundle and tie the plant using multiple soft ties - like old pantyhose. This is best done on the day of transplanting.

Start wider than what you anticipate the root ball to be and dig closer and closer to the plant until you find the roots. Dig a circular shaped trench around the plant.

Start digging underneath the plant trying not to dislodge the root ball's soil. The aim is to keep as much of the soil attached to the roots as possible.

Using a long-handled shovel and/or a fencing crowbar, lever the root ball out of the hole.

You will likely need to dig and then lever, and keep repeating this process until the root ball is free.

Now the root ball is free, you can slide the plant onto a tarpaulin or similar, and tie the root ball up to prevent any soil from further dislodging. This is only necessary for plants that have a large root ball. For lighter plants, you can just put them in a bucket.

Carefully move the plant to the new position. Where possible use trolleys or wheelbarrows as this will provide for smoother transportation.

Position the plant in the hole then backfill with soil. The surface roots should be only a few centimetres underneath the soil.

Water the plant really well soon after transplanting.

Transplanting is more stressful to a plant than planting a potted plant. They will need more regular watering and closer monitoring until they are established.

After watering the plant, apply Yates Dynamic Lifter Liquid Concentrate to the foliage and soil. Reapply every week until the plant has recovered.

For most plants, autumn is the best time of year to transplant. The heat of summer has gone, but the soil is still warm so the plants will stress less, and there will be less leaf growth and more root growth.

For deciduous trees and shrubs, transplant when they have lost their leaves (i.e., late autumn to winter).

According to research, it is best not to prune the shoot growth (i.e., the leaves, stems and branches).