from pot to plot - PickaPlant's gardening primer

Right, your carefully chosen plants have been delivered. How do you get them out of the eco-packaging and into your new garden?

PickaPlant makes choosing and getting your plants to your garden easy, so let's look at getting your garden planted. First, you need to think about the overall effect. Think about height, growth, sun and shade as well as how your plants look at the moment.

Now, with your plants still in their pots, place them on the soil where you think they should go. But don't plant them yet!

picture the scene

OK, time to stand back. Take a walk around and see how they look from different angles. Remember, you can move your plants as much as you like at this stage - its a bit more difficult when they're rooted in the ground.

Make a note of the way the sun moves around, too. What's shady now may be bathed in sunlight at another time, so think about the colours you've chosen and how they'll look. It's a bit like choosing clothes, some colours match and some don't, so you should think about that when arranging your plants. Remember, some of your plants may not be ready to flower yet!

here we go - let's get PickaPlanting!

Hold on a minute. Let me ask you a question. Have you noticed whenever we try to do something we've not done before, however simple the task may look, it takes longer than when a professional does it?

The reason for that is easy. Professionals have done it before, they know what to expect and how long its going to take, so they get everything ready first and settle down to the task. So let's prepare!

enjoy what's going to happen next. You're about to get creative!

Firstly, you need to know that each plant is going to take about ten minutes to get into the ground. So, if you've a few plants to do, add up the time needed and make sure you're OK with that. Get all the stuff you need around, like your phone, a drink etc, so you don't have to go running back and to. Why not bring a friend or two round and make this a social thing and can have fun with?

OK. Here we go. Soil can get a bit messy, so lose the smart clothes and stick some old stuff on. You'll also need the following:

• gardening gloves or an old pair of ski gloves, etc

• planting compost and something to open the bag with

• a trowel or small spade

• cardboard, like the PickaPlant box or somewhere to put the dug-out soil

• a piece of cardboard to stand on so you don't damage your lawn edge or border

• a watering can or a bucket and a cup so you don't drown the poor plant!

Once you've everything to hand, you're well on your way to creating your amazing new garden. All it takes are a few simple steps. There really is no mystery to having something you can be really proud of!

digging a hole

Most plants need a hole about double the size of the soil in the pot. Put the dug-out soil to one side and add maybe 50% compost to it. Water the hole so the plant can get the nutrients it's going to need immediately.

pulling the plant out of its pot

Take your plant in one hand and turn it on it's side. Squeeze the pot all around until you feel the plant loosen and pull out over the soil-covered board to catch the falling soil.

Remember what your hair looks like when you've been wearing a baseball cap or tight-fitting berry?

Well your plant's roots feel the same. Tease them free so they're sticking outwards like bad hair. They'll grow inwards if you don't. Sprinkle some of your soil mix into the base of the hole, water a bit again then position your plant at the same height it was in the pot. Not higher or lower, except Clematis which should sit very low!

Holding your plant upright, fill the removed soil mix around it. Pack closely but not too hard so the plant's stable and secure. You'll have some soil over, but keep that until you've finished. Do the same for the rest of your plants.

All done? Now let's tidy things up. Lightly drag your trowel over the ground around your plants. Sprinkle your excess soil mix over the area so no one part is higher than the surrounding area. Use half a bucket of water for each plant and let it soak in.

If you want to keep weeds down and retain some ground moisture, sprinkle some bark chippings over the soil and water regularly for the first few weeks.

well done. you're virtually a PickaPlanting expert now!