Taking the time to plant your shrubs properly will ensure the best growth and healthiness of your landscape for years to come.  It’s not always as simple as digging a hole, throwing it in, and giving it some water.  We’ve put together a few of our ideas to help your new shrubs get off to a strong startand thrive for years to come.

1. When your plants arrive, water immediately and plant as soon as possible.
2. Remove the root ball from the container or bag.  The sides and the bottom of the root ball may be roughened to prevent root bound over future years.
3. Dig a hole approximately one and a half times wider and only as deep as the root ball.
4. Center the plant in the hole, keeping the plant vertical.
5. The top of the root ball should be level with the surrounding surface. This may require adding back some soil to the bottom of the hole.
6. Fill in around the roots to ground level with the soil that was dug up from the hole, and tamp down. 
7. Water your plant thoroughly.  Refill soil if necessary, then water again.
8. Optional but recommended: Add three inches of mulch around the base of the plant, keeping mulch away from the plant stems. This will help retain moisture to the roots and help keep weeds from growing too.

A few other things you may want to consider.  Fertilizing your shrubs (we recommend a slow release fertilizer) and/or using a root stimulator (follow the instructions on the bottle) will always benefit your shrubs and help them grow.  Less is generally more though so make sure to follow the recommended instructions, depending on what you use.  Certain shrubs like roses require a special type of fertilizer so take caution of what you’re using before application.  Another thing to consider are soil conditions.  If your soil is too sandy, you may want to add something like peat moss during planting to help retain water.  If your soil is made up of a lot of clay, you may want to add some manure to give your shrubs extra nutrients.  And remember to have fun playing in the dirt!

When is the best time to give my shrubs a haircut? 

This is a question we get frequently here at ShrubSource.  You may not be aware of this but, aside from being a co-owner and manager at ShrubSource, Bill Stuart is also a licensed barber.  Perhaps his barbering skills stemmed from his days trimming shrubs of all different shapes and sizes!

Depending on the type of shrub, early spring or fall is typically the best time to give your shrubs a major trim.  However, if the shrub type happens to be something that blooms in early spring such as rhododendrons, forsythia, or azaleas, DO NOT prune them until AFTER they’ve flowered!  A shrub that gives you fall color such as a burning bush may be better suited for a spring haircut.  Spring and fall pruning is often best because the temperatures are cooler, the shrub is either going into or coming out of the dormant stage, and it is the least likely time to cause your shrub to go into shock.  Minor pruning (shaping or sculpting) can be done just about any time of the season.  A few pointers – It’s important not to trim it back too much, early morning or evening is best when the sun isn’t blazing hot, and make sure to give your shrub plenty of water after the work is done.  Many people are hesitant to prune shrubs for fear of causing harm but the opposite is acutally true- pruning shrubs will lead to a heathier, bushier plant that produces more flowers (if applicable).  These are just a few of the many tips to successful shrub pruning.