How to plant a tree or shrub

Planting trees and shrubs

Planting a shrub, rose tree or tree is an important phase in the life cycle of the plant you have just purchased.

After having been grown in a container in a nursery or garden store, your plant will now move to a new environment to which it must adapt.

Carefully follow each of the steps below, and your shrub or tree will grow perfectly!

Planting a tree or shrub

The best season to plant a tree or shrub is fall, but it is still possible to plant in winter, except when it freezes, or in spring before the heavy summer heat.

If you are planting in spring, provide for regular watering over the first year after planting.

Here are video steps on how to plant a shrub or tree

  • Break up the soil that was dug out. Check that odd bits and pieces have been removed, such as rocks or old root wood.
  • Dig a hole 4 to 5 times wider than the clump of the plant you are transferring.
  • Add planting soil mix and an organic soil conditioner such as manure and seaweed.
    If your soil is heavy clay, you can also add sand to your mix.

Read also: Soil mix, what is it good for?

  • You may let the clump sit in a bucket of water for a few minutes to rehydrate the soil and roots of the tree or shrub. You can also experiment with root dip for even better results, but it isn’t absolutely necessary.
  • Planting a treeCarefully run your fingers or a tool through the clump to untangle the roots without wounding them, if they’re too woven into one another.
  • Add a bit of organic soil conditioner or fertilizer as you mix it to the soil mix at the bottom of the hole.
  • Place your tree or shrub in the center of the hole, carefully spreading the roots out along the bottom.
  • Fill the hole in with the prepared mix (garden soil + peat + soil conditioner).
  • Lightly press the soil down.
  • Provide for regular, abundant watering over the first year after planting.

Tips on planting shrubs

  • For trees or shrubs that are over 40 inches (1 m) tall, staking is recommended.
  • This helps protect against bending and breaking when the weather is windy.

Planting certain types of plants specifically

Ideas of shrubs to plant

Smart tip about planting shrubs and trees

With a few easy tips, you can reduce the inevitable: transplant shock. For instance, water once with sugar water to help tree roots settle in!


Credits for images shared to Nature & Garden (all edits by Gaspard Lorthiois):
Couple planting a couple trees by Ciarán Mooney under © CC BY-SA 2.0
Planting in tropical countries by Kandukuru Nagarjun under © CC BY 2.0