How to Plant Privet

Plant the privet in full sun to partial shade.

Clear the location of all vegetation. Work the ground with a garden fork or tiller to a depth of 1-1/2 feet.

Soak the privet tree in a bucket of water at least one hour before planting it. Soak the tree roots only if the trees are bare root and not in a pot.

Dig a hole in the prepared area. Make the hole 2 feet wider and 1 foot deeper than the root system of privet. Dig the holes, leaving 1 foot of space between each privet tree, if you are growing a privet hedge. Keep the privets 1-1/2 feet from a boundary line, such as a property line, sidewalk or building.

Fill the hole with water. Allow the water to drain naturally away before planting the privet.

Mix equal amounts of compost and soil. Add the amended soil to the bottom of the hole after the water has drained away.

Plant the privet in the hole, making sure the tree is straight before you begin to fill the hole with the amended soil. Plant the privet only as deep as it was originally growing.

Keep the soil around the privet moist until the shrubs are established, which takes three weeks to a month. Water only in drought conditions thereafter.

Add a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch around the privet to help the soil retain moisture and keep the soil cooler.

Prune the privet by one-third, when the first new leaves emerge in the spring, to help the privets to fill in at the base, reducing gaps.