How to Plant Bushes Near a Septic Tank

Identify and locate the places you want to plant the bushes around the septic tank area. Use the small landscape flags to mark the location of the bushes. Stand back from the marked locations and imagine the bushes already planted.

Move the landscape flags to the final position before digging any holes. The bushes must be located a distance from all drain field lines. Typically this will be no closer than five feet from any drain field line position.

Dig the holes for the bushes with the shovel. The hole should be larger than the root ball of the bush. It is always better to dig a much larger hole than is required for the plant. This allows the roots to quickly take hold and establish the bush in the new ground.

Add a small handful of the bush fertilizer into the hole. Mix it into the soil.

Set the bush into the hole. Backfill the soil around the root ball. Keep the top level of the root ball at the same height with the ground. Pack the soil around the bush’s roots.

Make a small soil ring around the newly planted bush with any excess soil. The outside circumference of the soil ring should equal the top limb growth diameter of the bush.

Water the bush with the garden hose. Soak the bush’s roots several times to remove all air from the roots. Keep the bush watered by adding up to one inch of water every week for the next six weeks of growth.