The One Thing You Must Do Before Planting

Water your plants properly before they go in. A dry plant at planting time is the fastest way to set it back. If the rootball is dry when it goes into the ground, it often never rehydrates properly. Even if you water afterwards, the water can run around the outside instead of reaching the roots. Start with a fully soaked plant and you avoid most early plant loss.

Why watering before planting works

A dry rootball can behave like a sponge that repels water. Soaking pushes water right through to the centre, giving the plant the best possible start. 

Quick fit

When: Right before planting

Best for: All plants, all NZ regions

Critical for: Summer, windy or frosty sites, fast draining soils

Tools: Hose or bucket

Goal: Get the rootball fully saturated

How to pre soak your plants

Method 1. Using a hose

• Place the pot on the ground
• Use light pressure so the soil isn't blasted away
• Water slowly until water runs out the bottom of the pot
• Lift the pot. A soaked plant feels noticeably heavier.

Method 2. Using a bucket or tub

• Fill a bucket deep enough to cover the pot
• Submerge the whole pot and gently push it down
• Air will bubble out as the soil absorbs water
• When bubbling slows right down, lift it out
• The soil should be dark and the plant heavy

After watering: get them in the ground

Plant straight away. As you remove the pot, check the soil. It should be dark and moist right through. If the centre looks pale or light brown, it's still too dry. Water again before backfilling.

Watering after planting

This is where timing matters. The most important watering period is late spring through to early autumn. Heat, wind and longer days mean plants dry out far faster than people expect.

Early Spring

• Soil holds natural moisture
• Rain is fairly reliable
• Water once a week or when the soil lightens in colour
• Heavy watering isn't usually needed

Late spring to early autumn

This is the key window. Your goal is deep, less frequent watering so roots grow downwards, not sideways.

How you water a lawn is not how you water new plants

A light daily sprinkle wets only the surface. Roots get nothing.

Practical guide

• Normal warm conditions: Deep soak every 3 to 4 days
• Hot, dry or windy conditions: Every 2 days
• Extended dry spells or no rain: Every 1 to 2 days

A deep soak means watering long enough for water to reach the whole root zone. Let the top layer dry slightly before the next water but don't let the soil get so dry that water runs straight off it instead of soaking in.

Quick checklist

• Soak every plant before planting
• Make sure the rootball is dark and heavy
• Plant into moist soil
• Water deeply, not lightly
• Adjust frequency for heat, wind and soil type
• Never let soil get bone dry
• Mulch 5 to 7cm thick, keeping mulch off stems