How to plant garden shrubs

Far from being secondary, how to plant garden shrubs is a task that must be thoroughly understood. Together with the trees, they are responsible for much of the design of our exterior. They not only give verticality to the whole or even help to separate different spaces. In addition to this, the bushes fulfill an essential task that often goes unnoticed. We refer to its incredible ability to hide what can visually spoil our garden. There is no ugly wall that can resist a well chosen bush!

Due to their weight in the garden, it is more than usual to have them as allies. Something logical if we also contemplate that the variety of bushes is such that it is practically impossible not to find the one that suits our tastes or our space. For this reason, knowing how to plant garden shrubs requires taking some time. It is a task that does not require a great knowledge of gardening or being experts in plants. But it is essential to know some keys to do it correctly. Something that will mark the fine line between making our bush prosper correctly and not grow as it should.

For these reasons and if you have been thinking about bushes to plant in January or February, today we want to see step by step how to plant bushes for the garden. The best way to get it right, and to enjoy your presence in our space.

HOW TO PLANT GARDEN SHRUBS IN 7 STEPS

Before seeing in detail how to plant garden shrubs, there are some aspects to consider. For starters, the weather. The ideal for planting garden shrubs is to choose a cool day, since the temperature will help them take root correctly. It is also essential to avoid wind, as it can alter the verticality of the plant. As important as these two things is to check the condition of the soil. If the place of planting is frozen, waterlogged or too dry, the ideal is that we postpone the planting until we solve it. When we talk about how to plant shrubs for the garden, the ideal is for the planting site to have a moist substrate. Something that, on the one hand, facilitates the task but, above all, will allow the plant to take root correctly.

Finally, the last consideration prior to planting. It is convenient that, once we know how to plant garden shrubs, we take time to clean the ground. By this we mean that it is free from any impediment to its growth. That’s why eradicating weeds early is important. Its presence can steal nutrients from our bush, and make it difficult for it to acclimatize to the place where it is planted. If we use a specific herbicide of chemical origin for this, the ideal is that we wait at least a month before planting.

Taking these factors into account, let’s see how to plant garden shrubs step by step.

1. Choose the place of planting according to the type of bush

As with any outdoor plant, location is critical. Although the bushes share care characteristics on many occasions, it is true that each one has its own peculiarities. Attending to these particularities will allow them to develop correctly. And not only that: in the case of flowering shrubs, such as the rosebush, it will be what makes the difference between seeing it bloom or not.

Added to this, we must not lose sight of the fact that most bushes have a tendency to grow well. For this reason, they must always have a soil in which to root without impediments. If the destination of our bush is a pot, we must choose it first with a good background. The best way to allow it to grow comfortably until we have to transplant it.

2. Calculate the planting distance according to the type of bush

An aspect that, again, implies knowing in depth the bush that we are going to plant. One thing is when we bring it from the nursery, and another is its optimal development. To avoid surprises, you always have to consider what its adult size will be. And we are not only referring to the height but also to the contour that it can reach.

This is not only important to know how far away to plant another bush or any other type of plant. It must also be taken into account if the bush is to be planted near a wall, a house or a pergola. If this is the location, we’ll need to consider whether there are any windows, driveways, or anything else that might block the growth of the bush. And, if so, be cautious and slightly modify the location to prevent it from happening.

3. Check roots before planting

A fundamental and vital task! In the roots rests our confidence that the bush will prosper. For this reason and beyond treating the root ball with great care to prevent it from opening, it must also be reviewed. If the root ball has any damaged roots, it is best to remove them now. Of course: without losing sight of the fact that this task can only be carried out during the period of lethargy of the plant. If we are not planting in cold weather, it is better not to remove any roots.

Also, with a view to improving rooting, it is advisable to moisten the root ball before planting.

4. Prepare the ground, as important as knowing how to plant garden shrubs

A fundamental aspect when it comes to knowing how to plant garden shrubs! And it is that the soil is a vital aspect for the correct development of this type of plants. On the one hand, due to its high demand for nutrients. A factor that forces us to give our shrub a good quality soil. If not, we will have to enrich it with a small dose of organic mulch. But beware: without overdoing it, as it could burn the plant.

And if this is important, the type of soil is no less so. There are many shrubs, such as the azalea or the hydrangea, that require a substrate for acid plants. And, also, many shrubs that require the use of a rooting substrate to facilitate the plant’s grip.

But in addition to this, there is another fundamental aspect in the soil. We refer to having good drainage, one of the main enemies of most ornamental plants.

5. Staking, planting and tamping

And yes, in that order. And it is that, before definitively placing the bush in its definitive place, it is important to place the tutor. An essential support if our bush is exposed to the wind. Especially in this first phase, it will be the tutor who allows it to maintain verticality. And we insist that the ideal is to place it before planting. If we do it later, we run the risk of damaging the roots by driving it into the ground.

With the bush placed in the hole, it is important to tamp down the soil. Whether with the foot or with the shovel, this gesture of squeezing the earth will allow us to eliminate any air pocket. It also does not hurt to take advantage to remove dry leaves and branches.

6. Quilting around the bush

If you thought you already knew how to plant a garden bush, don’t get impatient! You still need to know a couple more things. And it is that it does not hurt to mulch or munching your newly planted bush. The purpose of this is not only to protect the roots from the cold outside. It also seeks to retain moisture from irrigation, control erosion and even nourish the soil by providing organic material.

For all these reasons, the ideal is to do it around the bush. Of course: it is essential that the padding that we prepare is removed from the stem of our plant. This way we will avoid the appearance of adventitious plants.

7. Make a tree pit, the last step of how to plant shrubs for the garden

And now yes yes! We have reached the last step to know how to plant garden shrubs. And, without a doubt, this task is less but just as important as the others. With our plant in its final location, we will only have to make a tree pit around it. Or, what is the same, slightly reduce the diameter of the soil around our bush. Four or five centimeters will suffice: enough to better collect and channel rainwater.

And, after these tips, you now know how to plant garden shrubs successfully!