Jh50, 54

I suppose the best outdoor gardening tip i can give is getting shrubs and trees started out right. The initial planting is what will decide whether your plants survive. Dig the hole plenty deep and plenty wide. Add the correct mixture of soil. I usually add peat moss, potting mix and then mix in some of the surrounding soil. Loosen the roots of the plant and don't pamper it. I had someone tell me years ago.When planting a rose not to pamper the rose. He actually said, take the rose out, beat the dirt off of the root ball and then plant it in the ground. It's not a type of rose abuse, but the reason he told me this is because if the rose dies, then it was not a hearty rose to begin with. Only the strong survive. And this may sound crazy but if you want your plants to really thrive... save rain water and water your plants with it. Rain water is so much better than house water.