Common planting mistakes happen to the best of us. The Nourse Farms team put together the following information to help.
For All Nourse Farms Plants
Do this: When planning where you’ll be planting, consider how much space you’ll need to get necessary equipment to and around your plantings as well as allow for good light penetration and air circulation.
Not that: Plant your plants so close together that you cannot get necessary equipment through to care for your plants or they shade each other or restrict air movement. This can cause fungal infections.
Do this: Read our Planting and Success Guide for specific ideal plant depth and orientation planting information.
Not that: Plant roots too deep, too shallow, or in the wrong direction. Your plants will fail to flourish, and we don’t want that to happen!
Do this: Cultivate or work soil 2 or more weeks prior to planting and firmly pack soil around plant roots.
Not that: Work just prior to planting and/or leave soil loose around plant roots. Soil will settle, which can leave roots exposed causing plants to fail.
Do this: Give plants their own space away from wild plants or plants with unknown origin.
Not that: Plant near wild plants or near plants with unknown origins. Wild plants often harbor pest or diseases which can readily infect your new plants.
Do this: Water your plants 1–3 times per week.
Not that: Water your plants daily. Our plants do not like having “wet feet.”
Do this: Avoid fertilizer burn by waiting until plants are established before applying conventional fertilizer (roughly 4–6 weeks after planting).*
Not that: Fertilize your plants before they’re established.
Do this: Provide your plants with balanced nutrition. We recommend 10-10-10 or an equivalent “complete” or “balanced” fertilizer formulation for all of our plants with the exception of our blueberry plants, which need ammonium sulfate or acid-loving plant fertilizer.
Not that: Forget your plants need a balanced diet, too!
Do this: Plant all of the roots that Nourse Farms sends to you.
Not that: Cut the roots of your plant. This will decrease the support for new growth.
Do this: Plant your plants in areas where they’ll have at least half day of full sun for the healthiest plants and to help ripen your berries.
Not that: Plant in shady locations.
Do this: Plant in soils that have not had crops that included strawberries, brambles, potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, or peppers within previous 2-3 years.
Not that: Plant in soils where previous crops have included strawberries, brambles, potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, or peppers. These crops can harbor soil pathogens which may harm your new plants.
Do this: Remove dropped and over-ripe fruit to reduce pest and disease pressure.
Not that: Leave dropped or over-ripe fruit.
*Espoma Bio-Tone Starter fertilizer may be used at time of planting as it is designed not to burn plants if used as directed.
We have some plant-specific tips for you, too, because every plant is different and requires different care to reach their full potential.
Do this: Use plastic, fabric, or straw mulch.
Not that: Mulch using materials like decayed or wet leaves that tend to mat and can smother plants or wood chips that can be too heavy and hold excess moisture.
Do this: Use day-neutral plantings as an annual plant. If you would like to get a second harvest, you can overwinter, though berry size can decrease.
Not that: Renovate day-neutral strawberries.
Bramble Plants
Do this: Read our Planting and Success Guide for specific ideal plant depth and orientation planting information.
Not that: Do not plant the roots too deeply or in wrong direction.
Do this: You may mulch lightly with clean straw during the planting year but, beware, new growth must be able to develop easily from the roots!
Not that: Mulch brambles beyond the first year. Find out more here.
Do this: Prune out the floricanes, which bore fruit during that growing season, once harvest is complete.
Not that: Mow summer-bearing raspberries; they fruit on 2-year-old (over-wintered) canes.
Asparagus
Do this: Make sure you cut or snap stalks close to the soil surface, not leaving stubs, which could be potential entry points for pests and diseases. 
Not that: Damage emerging spears when cutting below the soil surface during harvest.
Do this: Plant in sweet soil. Asparagus requires a soil pH at a 7.2 or higher.
Not that: Plant in acidic soil.
Do this: Use compost as an amendment, mixing it thoroughly with soil, as you backfill your trench.
Not that: Mix compost with the soil before plants grow.
Do this: Do not soak prior to planting.
Not that: Soak prior to planting
Blueberry Plants
Do this: Plant in acidic soil. Blueberries require a soil pH between 4.5–4.8. A pH of 5.0 or higher is too high! Often, soil must be acidified; amend with elemental sulfur the year prior to planting.
Not that: Plant in unprepared or basic soil. Too high of a soil pH can cause stunting and decrease in productivity, sometimes permanently. 
BONUS Do this: Do a soil test and apply the proper amount of sulfur. Don’t guess. Excessive sulfur can be toxic! We recommend testing your soil one full year prior to planting. See details here.
Do this: Use elemental sulfur to acidify the soil.
Not that: Apply aluminum sulfate for fertilizing or acidifying.
Do this: Use ammonium sulfate or acid-loving plant fertilizer to fertilize.
Not that: Apply fertilizer close to your planting date. Blueberries can be adversely affected by potassium chloride. Do not use fertilizer that contains it. We do not recommend aluminum sulfate for fertilizing or acidifying.
Do this: Use aged wood chips as mulch.
Not that: Use leaves or sawdust as mulch. Either can limit or prevent rains from reaching the soil and plant roots. Also avoid fresh wood chips as they can remove nitrogen from the soil.
Our Planting and Success Guide includes this helpful information, and so much more. Access it online or let us know you want a hardcopy mailed to you.