How to Plant Bushes With Burlap

Burlap disintegrates underground.

When bushes grown by nurseries become mature enough for sale, workers dig them out, leaving a ball of topsoil surrounding their roots. They then wrap the bushes' roots in burlap, a biodegradable fabric made of natural fibers. Although the bushes sustain some root loss during the uprooting process, these plants do not have to adapt to new ground when you transplant them, because the burlap holds some of the soil they grew in attached to their roots.

Things You'll Need

• Shovel
• Compost
• Scissors
• Mulch
• 4-6-4 fertilizer

Instructions

1. Dig a hole twice the size of the root ball and a couple of inches shallower. The section of the burlapped bush where the trunk flares out and the root ball begins needs to be slightly above the soil line after you're finished transplanting the bush.

2. Mix the topsoil you dug out with compost in a five-to-one ratio. In addition, put some compost in the bottom of the hole.

3. Remove the string or wiring holding the burlap around the root ball and discard it.

4. Roll the edges of the burlap down, exposing most of the root ball.

5. Slash the burlap a few times to make it easier for the roots to grow through the holes before the fabric disintegrates.

6. Plant the bush in the center of the hole and back fill it with the amended topsoil halfway to the top.

7. Irrigate the root ball until the hole is filled with water. Let the water drain.

8. Finish refilling the hole with soil and irrigate the bush again.

9. Build a ring of mulch 3 inches thick around the base of the bush, but 6 inches away. Wood chips, shredded bark and dead leaves are a few good options. Mulch reduces weeds and conserves moisture.

10. Irrigate the plant deeply once a week through fall so it can store some moisture. In winter, this reserve of water protects the bush from cold injury.

11. Apply a 4-6-4 fertilizer to your bush in early spring to boost development. Follow the manufacturer's specific application directions.

References

• North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service: Planting Techniques for Trees and Shrubs
• Twombly Nursery: Plants at Twombly: Planting Techniques