By Kathy Hansen, WSU Extension Master Gardener, Stevens County
Contributor

 

The concept of “Right Plant, Right Place” has gained significant traction in the gardening world. “Right Plant, Right Place” emphasizes choosing plants based on their specific needs and the environment where they will be grown. It means selecting plants that will thrive in the conditions they are placed in, rather than forcing them to survive in unsuitable conditions. Last year, I broke the concept into 60 questions to ask when seeking to place the right plant in the right place. Here are the first steps in the process.

The overarching steps required for Right Plant, Right Place are:

– Creating a base plan;

– Conducting a site analysis; and

– Designing your plantings.

Your base plan starts with foundation planting, defined as the plants you put immediately around your home. The Tree Center at thetreecenter.com elaborates on foundation planting as “carefully choosing the plants and style of the transition area between the home and surroundings that leads users naturally from architecture to nature, from geometry to naturalness, and from what we make to what nature makes.”

The next step in the Right Plant, Right Place approach is site analysis. Here are questions you can ask when choosing a spot for a particular plant — or designing a full landscape/garden:

• What are the site conditions like?
• What existing elements are on the site?
• What is the topography of the site?
• How are the site lines and views?
• What utilities are on the site?
• What hazards and nuisances can be found on the site?
• What are the atmospheric site conditions like at a macro level?
• What is the climate? 
• In what hardiness zone is the site?
• How much sunlight does the site get?
• What is the level of rainfall on the site?
• How much wind is the site exposed to?
• How is the soil? (see next step)

 

Next, we look at soil, which anchors roots, provides nutrients, holds water and air, and helps regulate temperature.

• Have you had your soil tested for texture, drainage (perc test for drainage), pH levels, analytical lab testing?
• What textures of soil are found on the site (soil texture/jar test for texture) and in what proportions (clay, loam, sand, silt)?
• What is the soil’s pH for nutrient availability?
• What is the pH preference of the selected plant?
• Can you recognize signs of mineral deficiency in established plants?
• Will you amend your soil with compost if soil test indicates necessity?

Other site factors to investigate include deeper dives into sun, space, and water. After thoroughly understanding the proposed site for a plant, it’s time to look at such aspects of the proposed plant as form, function, growth habit and other characteristics and match them up with what you’ve learned about the site. 

Resources: Find resources for this and more of my gardening columns at: extension.wsu.edu/stevens/gardening/general-gardening-information.

The WSU Extension Master Gardener Program trains volunteers to be effective community educators in gardening and environmental stewardship. Master Gardeners provide information generated from research at WSU and other university systems. Kathy Hansen is an educator and writer living in Kettle Falls. Plant questions? Visit the Master Gardener Plant/Answer Clinic at 986 S Main Suite D, Colville 9-11 a.m. on Mondays or 1-3 p.m. on Thursdays, or call 509-684-2588 or email AskaMasterGardener@StevensMG.org.