How to Grow Evergreen Shrubs

Choosing Your Shrub

• 1

  Test your soil. Soil is made up of many different organic and inorganic components. The pH of soil also varies by area and soil composition. Ideally, you want soil that is rich in nutrients and will support your evergreen shrub. Dig a hole approximately 10 inches deep in the location you have chosen for your shrub. Run a trowel or shovel down the side of the hole and then collect 1 1/3 cups of the dirt that has accumulated at the bottom of the hole and put it in a quart jar. Fill the jar almost entirely with water. Add three or four drops of liquid detergent. Screw the lid on tightly and shake the jar until the soil has fully dissolved in the water. Set the jar aside. Gradually the sand will settle to the bottom, silt will be the next layer, followed by clay and then organic matter. This will give you an idea of the makeup of your soil.

  If you are concerned about the contents and pH of your soil, most university extension or county extension offices offer soil testing kits. Late summer is the best time to do these tests.

• 2

  Check the drainage at your chosen site. Dig the current hole down to approximately 18 inches. Fill the hole with water and leave overnight. If the hole has not drained by morning, you will need to consider plants that can thrive in poor drainage areas, or other methods of encouraging drainage in that area. Do not conduct this test after a heavy rainfall or before the spring thaw.

• 3

  Consult with your local nursery or university extension office. Most states have a program that trains volunteers, known as master gardeners, to assist people with gardening questions. Nurseries also have these people available to them. This is a valuable resource for choosing an appropriate plant. They will know what kind of plant is best suited to your planting area, soil makeup and pH, and light, and will also know what kind of fertilizer to use.

• 4

  Choose your evergreen shrub. Consider shape and size, sunlight requirements, exposure to the elements -- especially in winter, your soil and area drainage.

Planting Your Evergreen Shrub

• 5

  Check with your local utility company before digging to avoid damaging wires, cables or pipes.

• 6

  Dig a hole two to three times wider than the root system or ball and as deep as the longest root, if it is a bare-root plant, approximately 2 inches shallower than the root ball, if it is a containerized plant, or approximately one third shallower than the root ball if it is a "balled and burlapped" plant. Calculate for settling of the plant once the soil has been filled in around the root system. Place all of the removed soil on a tarp to the side of the hole.

• 7

  Mix the compost, manure or other organic matter into the soil that you have removed from the hole. There should be less of the organic matter than the original soil.

• 8

  Remove any container or wrappings from the plant. A bare-root plant may have peat or shredded newspaper wrapped in plastic. A containerized plant will have to be carefully removed from its container. A balled and burlapped plant will need the burlap and any wire cage removed, which can be done without causing the root ball to fall apart.

• 9

  Containerized plants may need to have the root ball loosened as they may become root bound in their containers. Score the sides of the root ball approximately 1 inch deep with a knife. Make a criss-cross at the bottom of the root ball. Remove any roots that have grown entirely around the root ball as they pose a risk of "girdling" the plant, which can strangle the roots and damage or kill the plant.

• 10

  Put the shrub in the hole. In all cases, the base of the plant should be slightly higher than the level of the soil.

• 11

  Fill in the hole with the mixed soil or "backfill soil." Support the plant so that it does not fall over. For bare root plants, move the plant up and down gently in the soil as it is being filled in to reduce the air pockets. When the hole is three-quarters full, flood the hole with water to remove any remaining air pockets. Finish filling the hole. For containerized plants, place the plant in the hole and fill in around it, pressing gently down with your hands to remove any air pockets. When the hole is three-quarters full, fill it with water to eliminate remaining air pockets. Finish filling the hole. For balled and burlapped plants, place the plant in the hole so that the top of the root system is level with or just above the level of the hole. Fill in around the root ball. At the top of the hole, fill in so that there is a slight slope away from the plant to encourage oxygen flow and good root growth. Tamp down the dirt.

• 12

  Saturate the plant with water.

• 13

  Fertilize the plant with approximately 1/2 cup of starter solution. Miracle-Gro, Peter's All Purpose and fish emulsion are good choices. Depending on the pH of your soil and the requirements of your plant, other alternatives are available.

Caring For Your Evergreen Shrub

• 14

  Water your newly planted shrub at least once a week with 5 to 7 gallons of water for the first year. Fill a 5-gallon bucket full of water and slowly pour the water onto the base of the plant. Alternatively place a hose at the base of the plant and leave it on at a slow to medium trickle for half an hour to an hour.

  You will know if you need to water the plant by sticking your fingers into the soil about 2 inches. If the top is moist but the lower layer is not, the plant needs to be watered.

• 15

  Evergreen shrubs need to be watered thoroughly before the first winter freeze to give them a good water base for the winter.

• 16

  Mulch your shrub with a mulch appropriate to your yard or landscape design, and the plant's needs. Spread the mulch out from the base of the plant at least 3 feet and up to 6 feet depending on your plant and landscape design. Leave the area at the base of the plant mulch-free to prevent roots from growing above the base of the plant. Mulch keeps in moisture, but can also keep out much needed oxygen and nutrients. Do not put plastic down underneath the mulch as it can trap too much moisture. Instead, use a porous landscape fabric, if you so choose.

• 17

  Fertilize your evergreen shrub every two to three years, in the fall. Use fertilizer appropriate to the plant, your soil and your environment.

• 18

  Protect your evergreen shrub from winter weather and sun exposure. If necessary, place a burlap screen around the south, west, and windward sides of the plant to protect it from sun and wind exposure.