How to Garden Shrubs

Overview

Shrubs are plants with multiple stems that grow from 2 to 20 feet tall and wide. They are used as landscape plants or for privacy or windbreaks. They can be evergreen or deciduous. Some provide spectacular flowering displays, like the azalea, while others change colors with the seasons or have fruit displays in the winter.

Step 1

Choose shrubs that will grow well in your area. Consider the USDA zone and the light requirements.

Step 2

Choose the right location. Be sure the shrub will be able to grow to its maximum size without having to be moved. Remove any large rocks or weeds. Add 4 to 6 inches of compost to the soil, and work it into a depth of 12 inches. This will provide the shrub with better textured soil and drainage.

Step 3

Plant your shrubs in the spring if you live in the Northern states, and in the fall if you live in the South. Dig a hole as deep as the rootball and two to five times as wide. Loosen the shrub's roots and place the shrub in the hole. Fill the hole with soil and pat it down firmly.

Step 4

Mulch around the base of the shrubs with 2 to 3 inches of mulch. Don't let the mulch touch the shrub's trunk.

Step 5

Water the shrub deeply until the ground is moist but not soaking. Add 2 to 3 inches of water each watering. Concentrate the water around the rootball.

Step 6

Prune the shrub in the spring or fall. Remove the dead, damaged or diseased wood at the base of the foliage. Remove the oldest wood from the center of the shrub. Cut back any overreaching branches, and shape the shrub however you want it.

Step 7

Fertilize your shrub with a balanced water-soluble fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, in the spring as the shrub comes out of dormancy. Apply 3 to 4 tablespoons of fertilizer per shrub around the base, and water the ground deeply.