How to Plant a Shrub
Creating the backbone of the Garden
Evergreen and deciduous shrubs supply the structure - the backbone - of the garden. They are a presence all year: flowers in spring, summer or fall, fruits in summer or fall, winter interest, and attractive foliage for as many as twelve months of the year. Shrubs bridge the divide between house and garden, provide support for vines and background for perennials, bulbs and annuals. And they come in an extraordinary variety of colors, textures, heights and types.
Local Advice for Local Gardners
How Shrubs are sold
- Container grown - growing in a plastic pot. Most shrubs are sold in this way.
- Balled and burlapped (B&B) - Dug from the nursery field and with roots and soil wrapped tightly in burlap. Only used for large, specimen shrubs, especially rhododendrons and magnolias.
- Bare root - Dug from the nursery field and the soil removed. Sometimes used for shrubs sold by mail order. Not recommended.
Choosing your shrub
- Planting the right shrub in the right place is crucial. Check tags and ask our expert staff; be sure your new shrubs will thrive in the sites you’ve chosen for them
- Look for a balanced shape with an even spread of branches
- Avoid shrubs with broken branches
- Avoid shrubs with wilted foliage or which seem very light in weight when you pick up the pot; this indicates dry roots
- Make sure your shrub has a tag giving details of any special care required
You will need
- A spade to dig the hole
- For larger shrubs, a split mulch bag or sheet of plastic on which to heap the soil from the planting hole
- A digging fork to loosen the soil in the hole and mix in organic matter
- Organic matter to amend the soil
- Slow release feed such as bonemeal
- Watering can and water
- Liquid feed
- Organic mulch
- Optional: mycorrhizal fungi or other soil additive; transplanting spray for evergreens
Choose your site
- Match the needs of your shrubs to the light and moisture levels of your chosen sites
- In areas made up with fill following construction, dig a planting hole larger and deeper than usual and amend the soil well
- Consider the eventual height and spread of your shrubs (check the tags) and be aware of nearby windows, existing shrubs, paths, pools, shade trees and so on
- In spots with bad drainage, where water often sits, only choose shrubs that tolerate wet conditions
Shrub Planting - Step by Step
Shrubs can be planted at any time that the soil is not frozen or parched, but spring and fall are generally the most suitable. Always be prepared to water, and perhaps provide shade, after planting. If you’re unable to plant promptly, keep your shrubs in a shady area and keep them moist until you’re ready to plant.
- Water your new shrub with a weak liquid feed, preferably at least 12 hours before planting.
- Dig a hole twice the width and twice the depth of the container or of the roots of your shrub. In a crowded border use a bucket to move the soil to an open place; if necessary heap the soil on a sheet of plastic to keep it off the lawn or path.
- Fork over the base and sides of the hole to loosen the soil.
- Mix organic matter and 1-2oz of bonemeal into the base of the hole to improve the soil, and firm hard with your fingers.
- Mix more organic matter and bonemeal (plus optional mycorrhizal fungi or other soil additive) into some of the soil removed from the hole.
- Place the shrub in the hole, still in its container or root wrapped. Lift the shrub by the container or root ball and never by its branches.
- Check the level: the top of the soil in the container or the top of the root ball should be level with the surrounding ground level. Add or remove soil below the root ball soil until the level is right.
- Remove the tree from the hole and remove the pot. Or place the tree in the hole, cut the burlap down the middle and tear from under the root ball.
- Refill the space around the roots with the soil mixture, firming hard with your fingers as you go. Only firm large specimen shrubs with your feet. This will leave the tree slightly lower than the surrounding soil creating a bowl to catch water.
- Water thoroughly with a weak liquid feed.
- Finish with a 2-3in layer of organic mulch.
Keep an eye on your new shrub
- Water regularly, depending on the weather. The roots of a leafy shrub can dry out very quickly in hot weather
- If deer are a problem, protect your shrub with netting or a deer deterrent
- Protect newly planted evergreen trees in windy areas with a transplanting spray and/or a burlap windbreak
- If a spell of hot weather follows planting in an open site, consider providing shade using burlap or plastic shade netting supported on canes
Writtern by Graham Rice