Newswise — March 31, 2016 – American households spend an average of $500 per year on garden plants. Additional labor goes into the planting and tending of the garden. Gardens can bear fruit in many ways (pun intended!). They can provide food, exercise and shade for your family, shelter for wildlife, beauty for your neighborhood, and so much more – so they are worth the investment.

But sometimes a plant fails. It could be a bad purchase. Or the plant is located in the wrong place. Even the characteristics of the soil where the plant is growing affect its success. The American Society of Agronomy (ASA) and Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) have developed videos to help homeowners and landscapers protect garden investments.

Digging for Success covers the basics of digging the right type of hole. Location, and space requirements should be considered first. Then the correct size hole for the type of plant you are growing is important. However, the most important factor is soil compaction. Clay Robinson, a soil scientist, and education manager for the societies explains how to determine if your soil is compacted, and various ways to improve your soil for your plants’ success.

Robinson also hosts Planting for Success. He describes a pre-purchase “four-point inspection” that can save you some heartache before you buy. Additionally, he reviews steps to prepare your plant for the shock of transplanting – and that a bit of pruning before transplanting can lead to a more robust plant in the long term.

The information included in the videos will help homeowners, gardeners, and landscapers have more vigorous flowers and better yields, and protect long-term landscape investments like trees and specimen plants.

Both videos are each approximately 15 minutes long, and well-worth the time and small amount of money to make sure your prize roses, spruces – or even those juicy tomatoes you’d like to see this summer – give you the most satisfaction for your gardening dollar. The Digging for Success video can be purchased for $5.99 at http://www.soils.peachnewmedia.com/store/seminar/seminar.php?seminar=60123. All serious gardeners and landscapers should watch these videos to help soil work in the best way possible to support plant growth – and protect those garden center investments! Planting for Success also can be purchased for $5.99 at http://www.agronomy.peachnewmedia.com/store/seminar/seminar.php?seminar=60127.

To read more about digging a proper hole and preparing your plants for transplant, visit the Soils Matter blog at http://www.soilsmatter.wordpress.com. Shorter videos with highlights from each video can be found at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZVYohuIygMoxkdhvvUj_Dbr-x1SWsi19.

Follow ASA and SSSA on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/IHeartSoils , Twitter at @ASA_CSSA_SSSA.

The American Society of Agronomy (ASA) www.agronomy.org, is a scientific society helping its 8,000+ members advance the disciplines and practices of agronomy by supporting professional growth and science policy initiatives, and by providing quality, research-based publications and a variety of member services. Agronomy is the science behind growing our food supply.

The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) is a progressive international scientific society that fosters the transfer of knowledge and practices to sustain global soils. SSSA is the professional home for 6,000+ members and 1,000+ certified professionals dedicated to advancing the field of soil science. The Society provides information about soils in relation to crop production, environmental quality, ecosystem sustainability, bioremediation, waste management, recycling, and wise land use.