Planting Annuals

[eskals]

I have been asked to bid on a flower planting job. It will be about 40 flats of flowers palnted closely in about 6 beds. The soil is good and soft (flowers have been planted there before), no mulch or anything in the way, no mulch to put around the flowers.

How many flowers could one guy install per hour? Do I need to add any fertilizer? I was thinking of just taking a hoe and making a small trench to put the flowers in, then just backfill the trench. Digging all those little holes would take forever.

Thanks,

Eric

[eskals]

I think I may just answer my own question about installation, but I totally forgot about my bulb auger. Put that on my cordless drill, and I could dig a lot of small holes quick.

Eric

[Lanelle]

Its a good idea to add a slow-release fertilizer when planting annuals. Your speed depends on technique so try to visualize the job. Also, if this is for a commercial site, try to use at least 4" size annuals.

[steveair]

hello,

there was a decent article about planting annuals in this month's "Landscape management" magazine. You may want to check it out if you can get hold of it.

Some interesting points brought up. First, they interviewed a company and he made some interesting points. One was that small crews, usually 3, are most effecient for planting annuals. Second, he said that they do not concern themselfs with planting annuals in 'perfect rows spaced equally apart' all the time (his point here is that in a couple of weeks they will grow together anyways so why nit pick over it.....Very good point). Another good point was not to bother mulching annuals unless needed, he basically says if they are in a far off bed, don't bother, however, if they are close to where people walk, a thin coat.

My favorite point of the article was in the 'tips to streamline installations' Here, they were quoted as saying, "Don't overlook training women for your install crews".

Hey lanelle, maybe you can help him out on this one!

just kidding, but actually, its probably a good point. Women do have more 'finess' when it comes to flowers.

steveair

Oh ya, one more thing, I find a mini-pick (the hand held kind that is around a foot long with a point on one side and a flat, wide pick on the other) is the most efficient way to dig holes for annuals.

[kris]

I can buy a flat of annuals for about 15 and get 35 to install in preped soil....as quick as a guy can throw them down, I can plant them. If the soil is all soft ...just use one of those little shovels (about 6inches long)

[eskals]

Thanks for the tips. I found the article online and read it. Good stuff. I'll probably get two crews of two working in seperate areas. Sorry, only one woman. The other three will be male.

About the fertilizer, what would constitute a slow release fertilizer? Or should I just go to the fertilizer place and ask? I am thinking of trying to convince them of cultivating the beds and adding a little peat moss.

Eric

[Mowin4cash]

We like to install all 6" pots. Bought an Echo gas drill w/ 7" auger bit. 2 people working sensibly together can plant at least 200 an hour without breaking a sweat. Lay them all out where you want them, then have one person drilling holes as the other one raises the plants and puts them in the hole after it is drilled. Then both people empty the pots and fill in around the plant. Most important!!!!!!!! Water in the plants. And shoot the @#$@#*(*($994 squirrels that come by 15 minutes after you leave and dig them up.

[dan deutekom]

I agree with Kris. I work with one fellow that takes the plants out of the cell packs and throws them on the ground in front of me onthe ground and I plant them just as fast as he throws them down using a hand trowel to make the holes.

[Lanelle]

Steveair,
Been there, done that!

Fertilizer: Osmacote or Lesco 14-14-14

[Ron Persaud]

I dig up the area to a depth of about 6 inches, rake in a soil fungicide and add some fertilizer into the the planting hole at the time of planting. Lesco Revere and 14 14 14 work well for me. After that all I have to worry about is watering. Proper watering helps to control fungi which can quickly ruin a beautiful display. But I must disagree with the comment about spacing; accurate spacing shows off a bed from day one. The best I have ever done is tear up prep and replant 1400 sq.ft. in 3 eight-hour days. All hand work; one 4 inch plant per sq.ft.:)

[dan deutekom]

I would agree that you need good spacing if you plant 4" pots 1 foot apart but if you use cell packs at 9" apart you don't. A 4" pot up here in canada would never have the time to grow enough to hide the rows during the season. I would plant them closer together to get a faster show and not have to worry about the spacing

[kris]

Im tired!! planted 80 flats(72 cells per flat) of annuals today with two inexperienced helpers spaced at 8 inches...going a little crazy this year with so much annual plantings and so little time.

[eskals]

Sounds good.

We just finished up the forty flat (48 cells per flat job the other day. I was pleasently suprised at how quick it went. We have had a very rainy end to the month of May and beginning of June and we needed two trips because of that. One to prep the beds and one to plant. Rain chased us the entire time. We planted them about 4-5 inches apart.

BTW, I was shown a very interesting tool to dig the holes with. It is called a dibbler. Hard to describe what it looks like. You push it into the soil, wiggle it around, pull it out, and you got a hole. It worked very well in the very soft soil, not so well in the harder stuff. I'll grab a picture of it tommorow and post it so you can see what it looks like.

Eric

[kris]

Eric ..

The 80 flat job was all preped for us(numerous beds at a golf course)...freshly tilled soil.It does go very fast,but all the same..it is a hard days work will so much bending over etc.

[Bluegrass Group]

The key to good annuals is always bed prep. If your beds are properly tilled and prepped you won"t need any tools to plant. You have a "trow" at the end of each of your arms! Tilling to 8-12" and adding organics to build heighth for drainage and to show them off better is the way to go. After I till I then do a preventative fungicide app. over the bed top (if the annual variety is suceptable to funguses) then an app. of Lesco 14-14-14 nursery special and lightly leaf rake it into the top 1". Some folks till the fert. and fungicide into the bed but I think that leaves most of it below the root system. Lay them out on spacings compatable to the mature size of the plant. If I'm doing begonias or impatiens 8-12", if I am doing something like lantana that gets big, anywhere from 12-36". Then de-pot them one at a time as I plant them and stack the pots as I go so a wind doesn"t blow them all over the neighborhood. Be sure to break the roots up a little and plant them a little high. Then mulch with your mulch de jour and water, water, water.

[jeffyr]

Can I ask what you guys are charging to plant. I do a few flats here and there. Buy them for $12 and plant them for $35 per flat (including plants and labor). On a job that has 40+ flats I would think a quantity price would be in order.
What are you buying them for and total charge to install ?


jeffyr

[lawnboykb]

Hey we use that dibbler and man dose that thing work good in loose soil.....they make it in a 3 hole deal also.


As for fertilizer use milnorgaint (sp) man you talking about making flower grow.....

[dan deutekom]

If the soil is soft enough for a dibbler I use my fingers cause that is even faster. I use the trowel if soil is hard or has a lot of stones. Did 45 flats of 48 cell packs today by myself including tilling and preping the bed. Was an 8 hour day. I find it amazing how the different cell pack numbers can speed up or slow down how many flats a day you can do.

[ron]

I would charge per flat example $15.00 per flat my cost client cost $30. plus one hour per flat for labor would be $23.50 total=53.50
per flat..

[jeffyr]

One hour per flat labor !
Whew.
50 flats =50 hours labor ?

WOW.

[ron]

Ops sorry min. 1 hr for planting if there is 50 flats would take me around 7 hrs to do.I would charge 1,200 for the job..