How to Plant Juniper Shrubs

Choose the location for your juniper. Junipers like sun but can survive quite well in partial shade. Find a place with well-drained soil.

Dig a hole about two times as wide and deep as the size of the root ball of the juniper shrub. Some shrubs come wrapped in burlap while others come in a plastic pot. Lift the plant into the hole to gauge correct depth and width.

Mix peat moss and topsoil into the dirt inside the hole. Peat moss increases the drainage ability of the soil and helps breaks up pockets of tough clay soil to help with water retention as well. Line the sides and bottom of the hole with the top soil and peat moss mixture.

Cut the burlap or plastic pot from around the root ball of the shrub. Be careful not to damage the roots of the plant.

Lay the plant on the ground and gently work your fingers into the root ball to loosen the soil. Plants easily become root bound in pots so you want to loosen the soil to encourage the roots to grow outward. You can also loosen the soil around the root ball with forced water from a hose. Make sure to allow some room between the hose sprayer and roots so you don't damage the plant.

Place the plant into the hole, making sure that the top of the root ball is level with the ground. Fill in around the root ball with a mixture of peat moss and topsoil. Press firmly to remove any air pockets. Continue filling in with the soil mixture until there is a slight mound around the base of the plant. Use your foot to firmly press the dirt down around the base of the juniper.

Mulch around the base of the juniper shrub to help the soil retain water.

Water the plant completely, focusing on the base of the plant to allow water to reach the root ball. Junipers don't require a lot of water even when newly planted. However, give your newly planted shrub some water if there isn't frequent rain.