Planting & Care

First, open and check

• Unpack promptly, keep each variety with its label, and check the crown and roots. Protect exposed roots from sun and drying wind.
• Bare-root plants: plant promptly. During a short delay, keep roots covered with barely damp material in a cool, sheltered, frost-free place. Pot up leafy plants if planting must wait; do not keep growing foliage boxed in the dark.
• Liners or plugs: these are young starter plants, not mature divisions. Keep their small root balls evenly moist, not saturated, in bright shade while they adjust.

If a crown is soft, roots are badly damaged, or something concerns you, take a photo and contact us before planting.

Choose the right spot

Plant for your climate, not our calendar. Spring is a good choice in cold-winter regions; fall planting needs enough time to root before freezing weather. In the South, milder spring or fall conditions are easier on plants than extreme summer heat. Avoid frozen or waterlogged soil, and protect tender new growth from frost.

Planting bare-root hostas & daylilies

Find the crown, where shoots meet roots. Shoots or buds point up; roots spread outward and down. These plants are not bulbs, so do not use a bulb-depth rule.

Original planting illustrations, not plant photographs. Shapes are simplified and not to scale; depth is measured from soil, not mulch.

1. Prepare the roots. Keep them moist while you work. If bare roots feel dry, a brief 30–60 minute soak in plain water can help before planting. Do not leave them soaking for days or add fertilizer to the water. Liners do not need this treatment.
2. Make room. Dig a hole wide enough to spread the roots naturally. A small mound of soil in the center can support the crown. Do not fold roots into a cramped hole or cut healthy roots just to make them fit.
3. Set the correct depth. Follow the hosta or daylily illustration above. Backfill around the roots and firm gently without crushing the crown.
4. Water in. Water the root zone thoroughly, let it drain, and recheck the soil level. Add soil over exposed roots without burying the crown too deeply. Replace the variety label.

Planting young liners & plugs

A liner’s small root system needs gentler handling and closer moisture checks than a mature division. The illustration shows a hosta liner; the same root-ball handling applies to daylily liners.

The first week, and beyond

• Check daily; water when needed. Feel the root ball and nearby soil, not just the dry-looking surface. Keep new roots evenly moist, never sitting in water. A small liner can dry out while the surrounding ground is still damp.
• Water the soil, not by a fixed schedule. Give enough to moisten the root zone, then allow drainage. Rain, heat, wind, soil type and pot size all change how often watering is needed. Keep checking through the first growing season.
• Use mulch around, not on, the plant. Leave a clear gap around crowns and shoots so wet mulch does not rest against them. Do not bury a small liner under a thick layer.
• Go gently with fertilizer. Skip strong starter feeds and fertilizer against bare roots. Let plants establish; use a soil test and product label to guide later feeding. Check whether potting mix already contains fertilizer.

Young liners take time to size up, and flowering may not happen in the first season. Persistent wilting in wet soil or a soft crown calls for a closer check, not more water.

Growing in a container?

Use drainage holes and a quality potting mix, not dense garden soil. Choose a pot that accommodates the roots without crowding; move a young liner up gradually as it fills its pot. Empty standing water from saucers.

Pots dry and heat up faster than garden beds, and roots are more exposed to winter cold. Check moisture often and plan winter protection for your climate. A plant’s in-ground hardiness rating does not guarantee that an exposed pot will overwinter safely.