Things You'll Need:
- Shovel
- Garden rake
- Garden fork
- Tiller
- Trowel
- Selection of shrubs
-
Step 1
Consider the location where you intend to plant shrubs, and determine the amount of sun it receives daily, noting whether the site is mostly sunny or shady, or whether it receives a mix of sun and shade.
-
Step 2
Determine the effect you intend to achieve with your shrubs. If you are planting a hedge, how high do you want your plants to grow? If you are using shrubs as part of a mixed planting, will the shrubs be your central focus or will they complement the surrounding plants?
-
Step 3
Consider whether you want evergreen shrubs, those that keep their leaves year round, or deciduous shrubs, those that lose their leaves in the autumn. Each can provide stunning displays of color, but deciduous shrubs may not provide the density of coverage you desire in the winter.
-
Step 4
Determine the types of shrubs that will suit your planting location given the amount of daily sun it receives. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service offers lists of plants native to each state, along with a list of noxious and invasive plants you may want to avoid.
-
Step 1
In "Texas Gardening the Natural Way," Howard Garrett recommends improving the soil before planting shrubs. Excavate beds deep enough to remove weeds and grass, including underground root systems.
-
Step 2
The Henry Doubleday Research Association's Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening recommends planting between autumn and spring, to allow the shrub's root system to become established before the drier weather of summer sets in.
-
Step 3
Test the soil in your planting area using a store-bought kit or through your county Extension service.
-
Step 4
Use native topsoil to fill the planting bed to within two inches of the adjacent ground. Add organic fertilizer and other amendments as indicated by the soil test. Till or fork the topsoil and amendments together to a depth of six to eight inches and rake the bed tops smooth.
To promote good drainage, Garrett recommends that your planting beds be higher than the surrounding ground, with sloped sides and a slight ditch at the edges. -
Step 5
Dig a saucer-shaped hole for your shrub. Garrett recommends planting shrubs so that the top of the plant ball is slightly higher than the existing ground.
-
Step 6
Backfill the hole with prepared topsoil, firming gently.
-
Step 7
Water slowly to remove air pockets, and mulch bare soil to help retain moisture and suppress weeds.
-
Step 1
Prune damaged limbs to reduce the opportunity for disease.
-
Step 2
Some shrubs do well with annual hard pruning, and others need only light pruning. Check with your shrub supplier or Extension agent to determine which type of pruning is best for your shrubs.
-
Step 3
The Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening recommends keeping young shrubs moist, and watering only as needed once the shrubs are established.
