How to Plant Alpine
- 1). Research. Alpines are so diverse you are going to want to research which types of alpines are the right fit for you. The Alpine Garden Society is has an online site that offers a wealth of information (see Resources below).
- 2). Select alpines. After doing your research, if you are like most garden enthusiasts, you will likely have compiled a list of alpine you want to incorporate into your garden. Don't try eliminating anything on the list yet, but try organizing the list in terms of desirability.
- 3). Purchase plants. Your local garden center will not likely carry any alpine plants, but The Alpine Society has links to online alpine dealers (see Resources below).
- 4). Prepare the planting site. If you don't already have a rock garden, install one before the plants arrive. You may need to build up the soil before covering the site with gravel.
- 5). Position the plants while still in their pots. Most alpine dealers will send the plants to you in pots. If they are not potted, then pot them in clay post so that you can see how they look and can move them around easily, if necessary.
- 6). Dig the holes to install the plants. Base hole depth on the plant's instructions. It is critical that the plant is installed at the correct depth. Then trickle gritty soil around the roots and firm it well.
- 7). Use a trowel to take out a hole a little larger than the root-ball. You can buy narrow trowels that are particularly useful for planting in the crevices between rocks.
- 8). Finish off by covering the exposed surface with more grit.
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