THINGS YOU WILL NEED:
1. A good grade of moist soil less potting mix containing sphagnum and peat moss but no soil or compost.

2. Enough plants to fill your Bloom Master.

3. A barrow or bucket in which you can moisten your potting mix.


PLANTING YOUR BLOOM MASTER:
The only limitation on what you can achieve with your Bloom Master is your imagination. For novice container gardeners we recommend that you consult your green house or nurseryman when selecting your plants. The main thing to remember is that all your cascading plants should go in the bottom and middle rows. You can alternate non-cascading with cascading plants in the middle row but no cascading plants should be placed in the upper row or the top as they will simply cover and hide anything below them.

Once you have chosen the appropriate number of plants for your Bloom Master, we recommend that you divide them into four groups and label them: bottom row, middle row, top row and top. This will help you keep things straight.

Place your potting mix into a barrow or bucket and apply water a little at a time until your potting mix is nice and wet-not mucky, just wet.

Using a small container, fill your Bloom Master to the bottom edge of the bottom row of openings. With your hand, level your mix and pat it down gently. Add more mix if necessary to bring it back up to the desired level. Now, take your plants for the bottom row and gently remove them from their containers. Gently place the root balls through the openings and lay them on the level potting mix, about an inch back from the opening, leaving the plant itself protruding through the front of the planter. If you should have a root ball larger than 1 5/8", gently massage enough soil from the roots until the roots will fit through the opening.

Now that your bottom row is planted, add more potting mix, bringing it up to the bottom of the second row of openings. Level your mix and remove the plants for the middle row from their containers and place the root balls through the openings the same way you did the bottom row. Again, add more potting mix to the bottom of the third or top row of openings. Level again and remove the plants for the top row and repeat as before.

Once you have your root balls in place for the top row, fill the planter to the very top with potting mix. Make sure you fill it to the top as your potting mix will settle a bit, leaving you adequate room for a watering pool. Remove your plants for the top of the planter from their containers and plant them, making sure that the root balls are completely buried. IMPORTANT REMINDER: BE SURE TO USE NEW POTTING MIX EVERY YEAR TO AVOID FERTILIZER SALT BUILDUP.


WATERING AND FERTILIZING YOUR BLOOM MASTER:
Now that your Bloom Master is planted it needs to be watered and fertilized. Potting mix is very fragile so always use a fine, soft spray when watering and use a slow circular or back and forth motion. Use any good water soluble or time release fertilizer and make sure that you follow the instructions on the container carefully. If you use a water soluble fertilizer, once you have your fertilizer mixed, fill your watering can and gently pour it in the top of your Bloom Master. Keep pouring until the water comes out the drain holes in the bottom.

For the first month, your Bloom Master will only need watering every three or four days, in its second month, about every two days. Do not over water. Once it is in full production, it may need water every day. A good way to tell if your Bloom Master needs water is to feel the potting mix in the openings. If it is moist, don't water, if it is starting to dry, then water.

Make sure that you fertilize your Bloom Master every two weeks if you use a water soluble fertilizer. This is very important. Once it is about ten weeks old, you can fertilize it every ten days.


HANGING, MOUNTING AND WINTER CARE OF YOUR BLOOM MASTER:                                                                              Your Bloom Master is a substantial planter that is heavy when wet. We recommend that you always use a Bloom Master Mounting Bracket whenever possible as it is designed to support your Bloom Master. If you are going to hang your Bloom Master Planter with chains, you must mount it to a 1"X 10" the same length as your planter and then place your chains at least three openings from each end, toward the center of your planter. If you are planting a 40" Bloom Master, it must not be watered and fertilized until it is in place.

When the season is over and it is time to put your Bloom Master away for the winter, take a pair of shears or heavy scissors and trim off all the foliage close to the planter. Do not try and pull the root through the openings, if it is cold you could break your planter. Remove the root balls and potting mix through the top of the planter. Rinse it well with clean warm water and put it away for the winter out of the weather.

RECOMMENDED PLANTS FOR YOUR BLOOM MASTER:
FOR THE BOTTOM ROW Wave Petunias Cascade Petunias Thunbergia Ivy Geranium Cascading Lobelia Cascading Verbena Biacopa (Giant Snowflake)
FOR THE MIDDLE ROW Wave Petunias Cascade Petunias Trailing Lobelia • Trailing Verbena Biden (Goldie) • Million Bells Trailing Zinnia (White Star) Trailing Zinnia (Gold Star) Standard Petunias • Geraniums
TOP ROW AND TOP Standard Petunias Million Bells • Lobelia Snap Dragons o Dwarf Marigolds Signet Marigolds (Lemon Gem) Biacopa (Giant Snowflake) Cascading Lobelia • Verbena Dwarf Marigold Geraniums