Use and Care Manual
season. If a hedge is doing well, only minor pruning
is needed—particularly if you favor an informal
appearance. Be sure to prune the top narrower
than the bottom so that the bottom gets sun. Prune
flowering hedges, such as lilacs and spirea, after
they have finished blooming. Hydrangeas, on the
other hand, should be pruned later in summer,
removing only the stems that have already flowered.
HORSERADISH
Horseradish thrives in sun or shade but can become
invasive in rich soil; keep it in an out-of-the-way
corner. Plant cuttings 3-4 inches below the surface
and 8 inches apart in rows that are 16 inches apart.
Keep the soil evenly moist during the growing
season. Your crop will be ready to harvest in
2years. Harvest large roots after frost, leaving the
smaller roots for the next harvest.
HOUSEPLANTS/
PATIO PLANTS
Remove your houseplant from its packaging
immediately and place in a bright window out of
direct sunlight. Water as needed. After several days,
sun-loving plants may be placed in direct sunlight.
Don’t be surprised if some plants lose their leaves
due to shipping stress—they are not dying. Keep
your plant in its original pot until it has had time to
recover from shipping stress and produces two new
leaves. Watch watering needs closely while your
plant is in a small pot. When repotting, place into a
larger pot and water thoroughly. Avoid moving your
plant into a very large pot until it is ready or root rot
will likely result.
Most houseplants or patio plants thrive on a monthly
application of water-soluble plant food. Be sure to
follow the feeding directions on the package.
Before freezing weather (below 29°F) arrives,
winterize patio plants. Angel Trumpets and
Elephant Ears should be brought into your home.
If this is not possible, an unheated garage or cool
basement would also work. Withhold fertilizer, and
water just enough to keep the soil slightly moist. In
spring, when the danger of frost has passed, return
the containers to their outdoor location and water
thoroughly.
When night temperatures drop below 50°F in early
fall, plants such as citrus, dwarf banana, dwarf fig,
dwarf pomegranate, Mediterranean olive, coffee
and sweet leaf plant need to be moved indoors.
Provide as much sun as possible; a south- or west-
facing window is ideal. Avoid areas that would
expose your plants to hot dry air, such as near heat
registers. Growth will slow down in wintertime.
Withhold fertilizer at this time and only water as
needed. Return to a patio setting once danger of
frost has passed in late spring.
NUT TREES
Follow the general planting directions on page
1 and space as directed in the chart below. Nut
trees thrive in full sun and well-drained soil. You
can control the few pests and diseases that trouble
them with liquid fruit tree spray. Most nut trees are
self-fruitful, but the male and female flowers don’t
always develop at the same time. For best results,
plant nut trees in groups of two or more of like
variety within 50 feet to increase their chances of
pollination. Those not self-fruitful need a pollinator
planted nearby. Test harvested nuts for soundness
by placing in a bucket of water. Save only those that
sink to the bottom. Dry and store in a cool place.
Shelled nuts can be frozen up to a year.
NUT PLANTING CHART
Planting Approx. Years to Average
Variety Distance Height Bearing Yield
Almond 25 Ft. 15-20 Ft. 3-7 12-15 Lbs.
Butternut 40-50 Ft. 40-60 Ft. 10-15 50-100 Lbs.
Chestnut 40 Ft. 40-60 Ft. 7+ 30-40 Lbs.
Hazelnut 15 Ft. 15 Ft. 3-4 20-30 Lbs.
Hickory 40-50 Ft. 60 Ft. 7-10 25-50 Lbs.
Pecan 50 Ft. 40-75 Ft. 10-15 50-100 Lbs.
Walnut, Blk. 40-50 Ft. 50-75 Ft. 10-20 50-100 Lbs.
Walnut, Eng. 40-50 Ft. 40-60 Ft. 6-8 50-100 Lbs.
ONIONS
Sets—Plant sets as soon as the ground can be
worked. One pint will plant 25 feet at 1-2 inches
deep and 3-4 inches apart.
Plants—Plant in early spring, approximately 1 inch
deep and 5 inches apart. Onions are ready to harvest
when 3/4 of the top has fallen over. After digging,
leave bulbs in the garden to cure for a few days
until roots are brittle. Spread out on newspaper in a
dry, dark spot for 2-3 weeks. Then remove dirt and
papery skin. Cut tops 1 1/2 inches above the bulb.
Store bulbs in mesh bags in a cool, airy spot. Use
those with thick necks first as they are likely to be
the first to spoil.
Shallots—Plant sets 1-2 inches deep and 4-6 inches
apart. When foliage starts to wither, dig bulbs and
cure 2-3 weeks before storing like onions.
PERENNIALS &
GROUND COVERS
Perennials come back year after year if left
undisturbed. Some do not bloom the first year
but develop roots and foliage to support flowers
the next year and after. The illustration below
shows typical planting depths. The packaging your
perennials come in will have detailed instructions
for planting depth and spacing.
Soil Level
#1 #2 #3 #4
Setting Perennials
Set irises with roots barely covered with soil (#1).
Plant peonies, lilies of the valley and hostas with
buds 1-2 inches below the surface of the soil (#2).
Set plants with a distinct crown with the crown
even with the soil surface (#3). Plant those without
a distinct crown, that look like a chunk of root, 1
inch deep. If you can’t tell which end is up, lay the
root on its side (#4).
Perennials require little care after planting.
Mulching helps keep weeds down and retains
soil moisture. Fall-planted perennials should be
mulched heavily to prevent frost damage. Remove
faded and dying flowers often to prolong the
plant’s flowering period. Most perennials need to
be divided every 3-5 years to rejuvenate the plant
as it spreads. Ground covers are a special breed of
low-growing plant often used on banks and slopes
where it’s difficult to mow.
Potted Perennials—When you receive your potted
perennials, you might find that some of the leaves
are yellow or dried. That does not mean the plants
are dead. As long as the root system is healthy,
upper foliage will soon regenerate.
Remove your perennial from the pot it was shipped
in by lightly squeezing or tapping medium. Cut
or tear off the bottom third of the root ball. Use a
trowel or knife to then score a vertical indentation
on all four sides of the root ball. This helps the roots
to grow directly into the surrounding soil rather
than staying in the potting soil they are grown in.
Ground Covers—Ground cover plants prefer
deeply worked, properly fertilized soil that is free
of weeds.
To create the most natural effect, stagger your
ground cover plants so individual plants aren’t
lined up like ranks of soldiers. When planting on
a slope, stagger the plant arrangement and follow
the contour of the slope. Leave a depression around
each plant as a natural basin to hold water.
Spread a 1- to 2-inch layer of mulch over the area
surrounding the plants, being careful not to bury
them. This helps to retain moisture in the soil and
retard weed growth. Maintain the mulch covering
until your ground cover plants have spread over the
entire planting area.
POTATOES
Many varieties of potatoes produce large seed with
many growth buds called eyes. In order to achieve
greater yields these larger whole-seed potatoes
(2 inches or more in diameter) may be cut into
pieces. Be sure that each potato seed piece has at
least one or two eyes, cut into sections and allow
them to air dry at room temperature for 2-4 days
prior to planting Potatoes do best in well-drained,
well-cultivated, rich soil. Dig a shallow trench
about 4 inches wide and 6-8 inches deep. Place
cut seed pieces in the trench 8-10 inches apart, and
cover with 3 inches of soil. Continue to mound soil
about halfway up the stem of the plant as it grows.
Ensure that there is enough soil over the forming
potatoes so that they do not push out of the hill and
get exposed to light. Keep rows weeded, but do not
cultivate too deeply and irrigate weekly during dry
periods. Harvest young potatoes whenever tubers
are large enough to eat, usually 7-8 weeks after
planting. Do not dig up the entire plant. Instead, dig
carefully around the plant and remove large tubers.
The smaller tubers can continue to grow. Dig for
winter storage when plant tops begin to dry. Take
care not to bruise the skin. Dry for 2-3 hours, then
store in a cool, dark, well-ventilated spot.
RHUBARB
Plant divisions in spring, spacing plants 3 feet apart
in well-drained, fertile, light soil. Rhubarb will not
do well in heavy, clay soils, so amend your planting
area if needed. Position crowns 3-4 inches below
the soil surface (see illustration below). Water
heavily, cultivate regularly and feed generously
the first year. Stalks can be lightly harvested the
second year. After that, they may be pulled during a
6-week period from early spring until early summer.
Plants can be mowed, dug and divided in either fall
or spring.
Rhubarb Planting Depth
3-4"
Crown
Visit Gurneys.com, Gardening-How To
Videos to view our “How to plant rhubarb” video.
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