Sunshine Nursery & Arboretum
Shrub Planting and Care Guide
When to Plant in Western Oklahoma
Container grown shrubs can be planted at any time of year. Early spring is a great time for planting all shrubs, especially after our last freeze. The plants can establish quickly while the temperatures are still cool. If you plant in the late spring and summer, expect the shrub to have a higher water demand until it has a chance to root out into your soil. Initially, the original ball of dirt is the only area from which your shrub can get water. Plan to water your new shrub everyday for at least the first two weeks until it has a chance to root into your soil. For fall planting, choose shrubs that are very winter hardy. Shrubs that are winter sensitive need time to establish before facing their first winter. Winter sensitive plants include shrubs like crape myrtles, hydrangeas and most broadleaf evergreens. While these plants can be planted in the fall, you will have an increased risk of damage or loss if we have a harsh winter.
Preparing the Hole
Choosing native plants and plants that are well adapted to our conditions will allow you to plant without adding amendments to your soil. For plants that demand better conditions, since the root area of shrubs is not huge you can amend the soil with compost and peat moss. Simply mix the amendments into the soil around where you plan to plant. Since plants generally will not do well in straight compost or peat, be sure to mix the amendments into the soil; it is possible to get too much of a good thing. We choose plants that we love and want to grow. We make a special place where the soil can be amended and where we can easily give extra water for those plants that need more pampering, then use native and adapted plants in our main landscape. This kind of strategy will allow you to grow a wide variety of plants while still maintaining a relatively low maintenance landscape.
Planting your Shrub
Grab your shrub at the base near the soil and lift it off the ground. Tap sharply on the rim of the container. Alternatively, turn the plant upside down and, holding the soil ball, sharply tap the pot rim on a firm object. The pot should come loose.
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Look at your root ball. If you don't see many roots growing around the outside of the root ball, the plant hasn't been in that size pot for long. You can simply set the plant down into your hole and fill the dirt back in around the root ball. The soil should just cover the root ball. |
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In heavy clay soils, water must be able to drain away. More care must be taken to assure that the root area is moist, but does not stand in water more that a couple of hours before it soaks in. If you have standing water problems, add coarse compost to provide more aeration and raise the area so that water can drain away. |
If,
on the other hand, there are many roots growing around the outside of the
root ball, you want to make it easier for water to penetrate the root ball
and for the roots to have better contact with the soil. Slice the root ball
up from the bottom about half way and spread apart the lower
"flaps".
To
help get water directly into the root ball, make a basin around the stem of
the plant by mounding up some dirt around it. Water your shrub well when you
are finished to eliminate air pockets and settle the soil.Caring for Your Newly Planted Shrub
| Watering Your shrub will demand the most water during its first summer. When it is first planted, its roots can only reach the water that is in its original root ball. The plant is completely dependent on you to provide water until the roots grow out into the surrounding soil far enough to support their water needs. Initially, care for them as though they are still in a pot. The potting mix that your shrub is planted in is lighter weight than the surrounding soil and will dry out faster. In fact, if the potting mix gets really dry, it will start to repel water making it very difficult to water your shrub. Water regularly to prevent this from happening. Making a dam around your shrub will also help to direct water into the root ball. A newly planted shrub should be watered every day in the summer in most of Oklahoma. Mulch the area around your shrubs to help cool the soil and keep it more moist. If you discover one of your shrubs limp and wilted, water it immediately. Provide some shade for it if you can and maybe set a sprinkler going on it to cool the area. Your plant should perk up within the hour. If not, you need to investigate further. Dig down and make sure that the original root ball is wet. Once your shrub has recovered, it is important to water it again to replenish the water that the plant has taken up into its leaves and to leave it a reserve for tomorrow. If you find that a particular shrub is wilting frequently, make sure the area is well mulched with several inches of mulch. See if you can provide more shade for it. You may also need to trim some branches away or shorten them in order to reduce the foliage area so that the plant has less water demands. |
| Pruning Shrubs can be pruned to improve their shape or to control their size. Generally, this can be done at any time. Shrubs that bloom in the spring, however, should be pruned in the late spring or early summer after they have finished blooming. These shrubs bloom on last year's wood. Trimming them in the late summer or fall will remove the buds and diminish the next spring's bloom. |
| Trouble Shooting We get many calls about newly planted trees or shrubs having yellow leaves, spots, brown edges, or sudden death. That is why we stress so much about watering a plant when it is new. Pay attention to clues to help guide your care. If your plant does not look right to you, check at the original root ball for moisture. In extreme cases, we have asked people to dig the newly planted shrub out of the ground to show that the water was not penetrating all of the root area. When problems occur in the first few days or weeks, 99% of the time it is due to poor timing of or insufficient amounts of water. If you want to bring a problem you are having to the nursery, it is very helpful to bring as many answers as you can to the following types of questions. Where is the damage occurring: on the inside of the shrub, ends of the branches, top, bottom, one side, etc? When did you first notice damage, how fast has it progressed? Look at the plant stems, at the soil level and on up. Do you notice anything out of order there? Look at the veins of the leaves, how does their color compare to the rest of the leaf. Look at the underside of the leaves for any clues. Compare the new foliage at the tips of the branches to the older foliage further back. When you come, bring a sample. Bring it fresh and keep it cool. This will help us work with you to determine what may be going wrong. |
Copyright 2001 Sunshine Nursery
Clinton, OK
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