For the first month, give your tree a good soaking twice per week. Set your hose to a small trickle and allow your water-holding basin to fill up with roughly 30 minutes worth of water. Your specific soil conditions will vary as well as your growing zone. You want to keep your tree watered but not soaked; damp but not bone dry. After one month, you can pull back your watering to once per week.

If you haven’t already done so, take a few minutes to choose where to plant your new tree or shrub. General needs to consider for your specific plant are: sun or shade requirements and soil moisture.

Dig a hole 3 times as wide as the root ball but not quite as deep. The goal is to have your tree rest in the center of the hole and have the root collar level with the original ground height.

Being careful not to damage any branches, hold your tree trunk near the base and tilt at a 45-degree angle. Gently tap the sides of your container all the way around to loosen the root ball from the container. You may lay your tree down if necessary (just be sure not to damage any branches) and gently slide the tree out from the container.

Examine your root ball for roots that have begun to circle around. If these roots are left untreated, they will continue to grow in a circle around your root ball and never fully anchor your tree, restrict water and nutrient uptake and may eventually cause your tree to perish.

Loosen the root ball with your hand and break up any roots that have begun to circle around. Continue to rough up the root ball on all sides, using a handheld garden rake if necessary. You may also use a 2-inch box cutter to cut 4 vertical slices down the sides of your root ball if you encounter roots you cannot redirect.

Cutting an “X” on the bottom of the root ball is another technique used to encourage the roots to grow outward.

Stand your tree up in the center of your hole. The goal here is to get your tree to stand up nice and straight and have the root collar be about the same height as ground level.

If your tree is sitting too low or too high, use soil beneath the tree to raise or lower it to its final height.

Fill in the hole around the root ball with the surrounding soil. Bring the soil height to just at the root collar. Continue to add and manipulate the soil to create a water-holding basin surrounding the tree. Think of this as a 6-inch high berm surrounding the canopy of the tree.

During the first year, your tree will require more water than normal to get established. When you water, simply fill the basin and the water will slowly percolate through the soil to the root system.

Create a mulch bed by layering 2 inches of wood chips or shredded bark on top of your soil (be sure to maintain the shape of your water-holding basin). And now that you’ve successfully planted your tree, give it a thorough soaking.

In a Nutshell

• Remove all packaging
• Water your plant in its pot
• Check the pH of your soil
• Choose a suitable planting site
• Prepare the soil
• Dig a hole the depth of the pot
• Put the plant in its hole and replace most of the soil
• Water well, let the water drain and put back the rest of the soil
• Mulch with peat moss and water regularly

Remove your tree from the box

The very first thing to do is un-wrap your plants. Remove all the wrapping materials, remove the plants from the box and remove any wrapping around them. Leave them in their pots until you are ready to plant.

Move your plants around by picking up the pot – do not lift it by the trunk or stem.

Care Before Planting Time

Your plants have been on a journey and they will be a little stressed, so place them in a shady part of your garden and give them a good watering. Do not put them in the garage, a shed or in the house, even if it is cold outside. Your trees will live happily in their pots for some time as long as you provide basic care. Remember to water every day or every second day, depending on how warm the weather is – do not let the pot become completely dry. If it does become very dry, place it in a bucket and half-fill the bucket with water so that the soil can soak completely.

Checking your Soil

If you have not done already, the first step in planting acid-loving plants is to test your soil. Simple soil-test kits can be found at garden centers and hardware stores and it just takes a few moments to test your soil. A pH range of between 5 and 6 is ideal for acid-loving plants, so if that is the result of your test you are set to go.

If you soil is below 4.5 you may need to add a small quantity of lime to your soil to make sure enough nutrients are available for good plant growth.

If your pH is between 6 and 7 then with some soil-modification and correct fertilizer choices you can easily grow these plants successfully. The most important path to success is to use iron chelate each spring. This material is available from several sources and makes growing acid-loving plants easy for everyone.

Even just a little over 7 should not be a problem if you use chelated iron regularly, but if your soil has a pH of 7.5 or more then for complete success grow these plants in pots, as explained lower down in these directions.

Choosing a Planting Location

After a suitable soil pH range, the second need for your new plants is partial shade. If you live in zone 5 and are able to provide sufficient water then these plants can do well in full-sun, but as we move further south it is best to provide at least afternoon-shade and in hot regions full-shade, for your plants.

Shade from a building or from deciduous trees is ideal, as the shade of evergreens is often too dense for good growth underneath. Areas to the south of trees, where there is shade but the sky is visible, are ideal spots for these plants and an attractive gardens can be made along the edge of a wooded area.

Preparing the Planting Site

Good soil preparation is the key to success with acid-loving plants. If you already have suitable acid soil, then the process is simple.

You goal is to make a large area of looser soil that the young roots can penetrate easily, getting food as they go and establishing quickly. You need to have an area at least three times the diameter of the pot, dug as deep as your spade will go. Add plenty of sphagnum peat moss to the soil as you prepare it. Sphagnum peat is the brown kind that is often sold in compressed bales. The black kind of peat moss is not so suitable for these plants.

If your soil is between pH 6 and 7, then add about one-third of the volume of your soil as sphagnum peat moss. This will create a slightly raised bed, which will also help keep the soil more acidic.

Remove roots of weeds from the area and any stones bigger than your fist. Smaller stones can be left and it is not a good idea to sieve the soil to remove smaller stones – they are best left in and can help with drainage.

Turn over the soil, mixing the peat moss into it and then level off and get ready to plant. Save some of the peat moss you used to mulch after planting.

Preparing the Plants

The evening before you are going to plant, give the pot a good soaking with water. If the root ball is dry when you plant, it may stay that way and your plants may suffer from dryness even if the surrounding soil is damp.

Digging the Hole

Now dig a hole in the exact spot where you want your plant to be, making it twice the diameter of the pot, but only just as deep. If you have dug the soil deeper than that, use your foot to press down the soil in the bottom of the hole, to form a firm base beneath the tree. This is to prevent it from sinking deeper than you want in the hole after you have planted it.

Removing the Pot

Take your tree to the planting hole and slide the pot gently off. You may need to tap the edge a couple of times to release the roots, but it should slide out pretty easily. Usually there will be plenty of roots filling the pot and the root-ball will stay together and not fall apart at all.

Planting

Now place your plant in the centre of your hole, checking that the top of the root-ball is level with the soil around it. Replace about three-quarters of the soil in the hole, pressing it down around the roots of your tree.

Watering the Tree

Now fill the hole with lots of water, letting it soak down into the ground and into the root ball. Use plenty of water and then wait until it has all drained away. This will give enough water around the roots, where it is needed.

Finishing the Planting

Now put back the rest of the soil, firming it gently down. Make sure you have only covered the top of the root ball with a very little soil, no more than one inch. If you can still just see the top of the root ball, that is fine. Some gardeners like to make a low wall of soil around their plants, at a spot about twice the diameter of the pot, to retain water. This is a fine thing to do, but not absolutely necessary. Mulch over the root area with sphagnum peat moss, about three inches deep and then water the whole area thoroughly.

Planting in a Container

If you do not have acid soil you can still enjoy Rhododendrons, Azaleas and Camellias by growing them in containers and these are plants that will live happily in pots for many years, since they have do not have large root-systems.

Make sure your container has a drainage hole. This is vital. Holes can be drilled with a slow-moving drill if necessary, even in ceramic containers.

Use potting soil designed for acid-loving plants. Place a stone or piece of broken pot over each drainage hole and partially fill the pot with soil. Place your plant in the centre of the pot so that the soil level is about one inch below the top of the pot. Fill around the roots with soil, finishing with a thin covering over the roots. Firm down gently, not hard. Leave some space at the top of the pot so that when you water it is held in the pot and soaks down properly. Water thoroughly with a gently flow of water until you see water coming out of the drainage holes.

Plants in containers need watering regularly and should never be allowed to dry out. Feed according to the instructions with any kind of fertilizer for acid-loving plants. Always water until excess water drains out of the pot – that way the soil will be properly wetted and excess fertilizer will not build up in the soil.

Follow-up Care of the Acid-loving Plants

Until your plants are established and have spread out their roots, they will need regular watering. How often depends on the weather, but a good, slow soaking twice a week is usually best, or three times a week if the weather is hot. Soak the whole area around the plant, not just against the stem.

Replenish the peat moss mulch over the roots each spring and never let your plants become completely dry. The only trimming necessary is to remove any small twigs that may die as your plants grow and develop. Use a fertilizer for acid-loving plants each spring, according to the directions.

So that is it. Your new Rhododendron, Azalea or Camellia is set for a great life and will reward you with greater and greater beauty every year as it develops into a perfect specimen. A little care really pays off.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Although hedges are often made from evergreens, your choice of deciduous trees is a good one – these plants change through the season and become a significant element in your garden, not just a neutral backdrop.

In a Nutshell

– Remove all packaging
– Water the trees in their containers
– Prepare the soil
– Dig out a trench along the hedge line to the depth of the containers
– Line-out the trees in the trench and replace most of the soil
– Water well, let the water drain and put back the rest of the soil
– Put a mulch over the roots and water once a week for the first season
– Start trimming as soon as the plants begin to grow

Getting Your Deciduous Hedges Ready to Plant

The very first thing to do is un-wrap your trees. Remove all the wrapping materials, remove the trees from the box and remove any wrapping around the trees themselves. Do not remove them from their pots and do not remove any wrapping around the roots if they are not in pots. Move your plants around by picking up the pot – do not lift them by the trunk or stem.

It may be that your trees are wrapped in cloth – burlap – in a method called Ball & Burlap or B&B. We will give you some tips on planting from this specific method. The first tip is to always move the plants by the ropes that wrap them up, not by picking up the plant, which can cause the ball to begin to split.

If it is late fall, winter or early spring, your plants may be Bare-Root, with just some plastic wrapping around the roots. This is a normal way of handling deciduous plants when they are not growing and have no leaves. We will give you some tips on planting this kind of tree too.

Care Before Planting Time

Your trees have been on a journey and they will be a little stressed, so place them in a shady part of your garden and give them a good watering. Do not put them in the garage, a shed or in the house, even if it is cold outside. Do not remove them from the pot, or unwrap the roots.

For Trees in Pots

If you are not going to be planting for a little while, that is fine, they will be happy in their pots, but if they are sun-loving, after a day or two in the shade, move them to a sunny location. Remember to water every day or every second day, depending on how warm the weather is – do not let the pots become completely dry. If a pot does become very dry, place it in a bucket and half-fill the bucket with water so that the soil can soak completely.

For “Ball & Burlap” Trees

Treat them in the same way as trees growing in pots, but if the weather is very warm, piling some mulch over the root-balls will help keep them from drying out quickly. If they become very dry, soak them gently; do not place them in bucket of water as this may cause the root-ball to disintegrate.

For Bare-Root Trees

There are two options after you remove the wrapping from around the roots:

Option #1: If you are planting within 24 hours or so, just plunge the roots into a bucket or other container of water and place them in the shade.

Option #2: To leave them for a longer time, dig a shallow trench, lay the trees at an angle with the roots in the trench, water well and put back the soil. Trees can be left like this for a long-time, at least until the buds begin to swell, when you need to get them into their final home.

Laying Out Your Hedge

Hedges are usually put along a property line, or to separate one area of the garden from another. If you are planting along the property line, remember to plant well inside the line or you could have future problems with your neighbors. If you plant right on your property line your neighbor has a legal right to cut plants back to the property line so plant well inside your own property. Planting at least three feet, and preferable more, inside that line will give you complete control over the growth and trimming of your own hedge – an important consideration.

Preparing the Planting Site

Good soil preparation is the key to the success of your trees. Whatever your soil is like, use it. Do not try to dig a hole and fill it with soil you bought somewhere else. If your soil is poor, just use extra organic material.

You goal is to make an area of looser soil that the young roots can penetrate easily, getting food as they go and establishing quickly. Add some organic material to the soil as you dig. Almost any kind of organic material is good, among the best are well-rotted animal manures; garden compost; any ‘top-soil’ from a garden center; or if you have nothing else, peat-moss. An area two to three feet wide and the length of your hedge is about right. Use enough organic material to cover the area two to four inches deep. In addition, trees need fertilizer to help develop their roots. This can be rock phosphate or bone-meal or any kind of superphosphate. There are many ‘tree planting’ fertilizers available too and they all work well, so whatever is available will be fine.

Remove roots of weeds from the area and any stones bigger than your fist. Smaller stones can be left and it is not a good idea to sieve the soil to remove smaller stones – they are best left in and can help with drainage.

Turn over the soil, mixing the organic material and fertilizer into it and then level it off and get ready to plant. Save some of the organic material you used to mulch your hedge after planting.

Preparing the Trees

The evening before you are going to plant, give trees in pots or ball & burlap a good soaking with water. If the root ball is dry when you plant, it may stay that way and cause your trees to suffer from dryness even if the surrounding soil is damp.

If your trees are bare-root and have been in a trench, transfer them to a container of water for a few hours before planting.

Planning Your Hedge

Most deciduous hedge plants are planted on two, three or four foot centers. Planting at the closer spacing will give you a full hedge a little quicker, but wider spacing will also fill in soon, especially with fast-growing trees like Hybrid Poplar or Willow Hybrid. If you are using plants that naturally form trees, four foot spacing is about right. For a lower hedge of shrubs, such as Burning Bush ‘Fireball’, a spacing of two or three feet is effective

If you need a very dense hedge, then planting two rows, two feet apart, with the plants on four foot centers, staggered, will also give you excellent results.

So that you can create a good end to your hedge, the first and last plants each go half the chosen spacing distance from the end of the area for your hedge.

Digging the Holes

The simplest method is to dig a trench along the line of the hedge, just to the depth of the pots. Use a rope stretched between two stakes to make sure your line is straight. With wider spacing it is also possible to dig individual holes the depth of the pots. The benefit of using is a trench is that you can easily make adjustments to the spacing and get a perfectly even effect right from the start.

Begin by placing the two end plants in their positions and then space the remaining plants evenly between them. Take your time with the spacing – gaps will show for quite a long time.

Removing the Coverings

For trees in Pots:

Slide the pots gently off the plants. You may need to tap the edge a couple of times to release the root-ball, but it should slide out pretty easily. Usually there will be plenty of roots filling the pot and the root-ball will stay together and not fall apart at all.

If it looks like the soil is going to fall off the roots, don’t worry, that is easily dealt with. If you tree is dormant, with no leaves, then just let any extra soil fall into the planting hole. If your tree is growing, with green leaves, then leave it in the pot, take a sharp knife and cut around the bottom of the pot and remove the base. Then get someone to hold the pot together while you cut down the side of the pot. Tie a piece of string around it to hold it together while you plant.

For Ball & Burlap trees:

Keep all the coverings on the trees until you have them correctly placed. Then use a sharp knife to cut through the ropes and remove them. Any pieces left underneath the trees will not cause a problem. Unfold the burlap to expose the roots and trim away any surplus. Do not try to lift the trees to remove the rest – just push it down into the soil where it will soon rot.

For Bare-root trees:

These can be laid against the side of the trench to get the positions right. If the weather is hot and dry just plant a few at a time – it is important that the roots do not become dry. Have a helper hold the tree at the correct depth – there is usually a mark on the stem where the soil came to – and spread out the roots, adding soil and pressing it around the roots until they are completely covered.

Planting Your Hedges

Now check that the top of the root-balls is level with the soil around it. Replace about three-quarters of the soil in the holes or trench, pressing it down around the roots of your trees. If you have left the pots on, as described above, do the same thing, but when you have finished, cut the string holding the pot together and gently work the cut pot out of the soil. Finish firming down the soil – a gentle foot pressure or firm hand pressure is about right.

Watering

Now fill the trench with lots of water, letting it soak down into the ground and into the root balls. Use plenty of water and then wait until it has all drained away. This will give lots of water around the roots, where it is needed.

Finishing the Planting

Now put back the rest of the soil, firming it gently down. Make sure you have only covered the top of the root ball with a very little soil, no more than one inch. If you can still see the top of the root ball, that is also fine. You should have soil left over to make a low ‘wall’ along either side of the trench, so that water will naturally run into it – this will be a great help with watering. Put a layer of organic material over the root area, about two inches deep and then water the whole area thoroughly again.

Planting in Clay and Wet Soils

If you have heavy, clay soil that stays wet for long periods, there is a special trick to planting which will help your hedge establish itself better. When you place the plants in the trench, put enough soil under them to raise them one or two inches above the surrounding level. When you put back the soil, make a long mound, with the trees now sitting above the general level of your garden. This will help water to drain away around the roots until your tree adapts to the location. You should still use mulch over the roots.

Staking and Support

Normally staking is not necessary. Modern arborists prefer to let the wind strengthen the tree, and stakes often cause breakage of the upper part of your tree. Even with bare-root trees staking may not be necessary. Take hold of the trunk and bend the tree back and forth a little. If it does not move in the ground you do not need to stake. If it does move, or if your hedge is in a very windy location, it will need support.

To support your hedge, drive a strong stake in at each end, with extra stakes placed every ten feet or so if necessary. These only need to show two feet above the ground. Run a wire tightly between these stakes and using something soft, like strips of cloth, tie each tree to the wire. After one growing season untie the trees and remove the wire – the roots will be well-established and there is no more danger of your hedge blowing down.

Follow-up Care of Your Deciduous Hedge

Until your hedge is established and the plants have spread out their roots, it will need regular watering for the first growing season. How often depends on the weather, but a good, slow soaking once a week is usually best, or twice a week if the weather is hot. Soak the whole area around the hedge, not just up against the stems of the plants. Future watering will depend on the type of trees you have used, your soil-type and local weather conditions.

Hedge Trimming

Most hedges plants need regular trimming to keep them neat, at the desired height and width and to prevent them becoming the large trees many of them naturally are. There are two basic rules that will give you the best hedge around.

Rule #1: Start trimming as soon as the plants start to grow – don’t wait until they reach the full height you need. Light, regular trimming will build a dense structure and keep the lower part of the hedge growing well. Use pruners on a young hedge to trim the branches as they grow, so that you have lots of side-shoots and a dense structure. Once established you can use hedge trimmers in the normal way.

Rule #2: Always trim the sides so that the top is thinner than the bottom – the sides should be flat but slope inwards towards the top. This is to let light reach the bottom and keep it green and healthy. If you let the top become wider than the bottom, the lower branches will begin to die and you will soon see gaps in the lower section of your hedge.

If your hedge is a flowering plant, like Lilac for example, the trimming should be timed to allow for flowering. Always trim immediately after flowering and then try not to trim again until after the next flowering time.

If you follow these simple steps your hedge will be healthy, thick and strong from the top to the bottom for many, many years to come.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Note: If the tree you received is not in a plastic pot, please check our planting guides concerning Ball & Burlap and bare rooted trees. There you will find all the tips necessary for success planting those trees.

In a Nutshell

– Remove all packaging
– Water the tree in its pot
– Choose a suitable planting site based on the needs of your tree
– Prepare the soil
– Dig a hole the depth of the pot
– Prepare the roots to prevent girdling
– Put the tree in its hole and replace most of the soil
– Water well, let the water drain and put back the remainder of the soil
– Put mulch around the tree and water weekly for the first season

Getting Your Deciduous Tree Ready to Plant

Now that your potted deciduous tree has arrived, the first thing you want to do is remove any packaging from the box and carefully remove the tree. Next, remove any packaging that surrounds the tree itself.

If you received your tree during winter and the ground in your area isn’t frozen, do not stress because winter is still an appropriate season to plant your tree. If your tree has only bare limbs, remember, it’s a deciduous tree and they drop their foliage during the winter months – it will grow new leaves again in the spring.

When it comes to transferring your tree to a waiting location until you are ready to plant, move it by the container and not by lifting the tree by its trunk or branches, as you can cause damage.

Care Before Planting Time

Once your deciduous trees are unpacked and unwrapped, move them into a shady location and not to an enclosed area such as your home or garage, regardless if the outdoor temperatures are cold. Your tree is hardy to your winter weather conditions so it will be fine as is. After moving the tree to its temporary location in your garden, water it well and until you see it flowing from the container’s bottom drain holes. This assures that the root ball is sufficiently watered.

Do not remove the tree from its pot until you are ready to plant. It will reside quite happily in its container until this time, provided you water when the top inch of soil feels dry. Do not allow the soil to completely dry out, so check it regularly until it is planted in your landscape. Depending on the preferred light conditions of your particular tree, you can move it to a sunnier location after several days once it has adjusted to the new environment and recovered from shipping.

Choosing a Planting Location

It is not good for the tree’s health to move it around once it is planted, so decide where it can permanently grow based on its needs. The things you need to consider when selecting a suitable site are the tree’s light requirements and its mature size. You do not want to plant a tree that requires full sun for the majority of the day in a shady site or it will never perform well. Likewise, you do not want to plant a tree that performs best in shade in a site receiving the full rays of the sun. Check our site for the description of your tree and you will find its lighting needs, as well as other important details.

Knowing the expected mature size of your tree is also an important factor when selecting an appropriate site. You do not want to plant directly on your property line, as your neighbor has the right to trim the branches that overhang into his yard. In addition, you do not want to plant it too close to a structure where falling branches can cause potential damage or under power lines. You want a site where the tree can reach its full potential without interference.

If you are planting multiple trees for the creation of windbreaks, privacy screens or a tall-growing hedge, please check our special planting guides that cover how to properly plant trees in these situations.

Preparing the Planting Site

Preparing your planting site’s soil properly can make the difference in a robustly growing tree and one that just hangs onto life. Once you have chosen an appropriate location for your deciduous tree, the first thing you will want to do is clear the planting site of any weeds or grasses, which will rob the tree of moisture and nutrients.

You can pull the unwanted vegetation from the site with your hands or use a hard rake. However, if you decide to use an herbicide, allow the product to work at least two weeks before planting. Before you plant, remove all the dead debris from the site, including any large rocks. Clear a site that is at least 3 feet in diameter so there’s no possibility of the trunk becoming damaged from lawn equipment bumping into it.

Once you have cleared the site of the unwanted vegetation, you can now amend the native soil with organic materials such as well-rotted manure or compost. Even if your native soil is sandy and lacks fertility, do not be compelled to bring in soil from another location, but instead, add nutrients by amending with organic materials.

Spread a 6-8 inch layer of the organic material over the planting site and work it into the area to a depth of about 12 inches. This not only adds fertility to the area, but also loosens the soil, which allows the tree’s roots system and easier time spreading out and establishing itself and assists in drainage.

Preparing the Deciduous Tree

Preparing your deciduous tree for planting is basic. The night before you plan on planting, just water it well and until you see the water flowing from the bottom of the container. You do not want to plant it if its root ball is completely dry.

Digging the Hole

Now that you have prepped the area, it is time to dig the hole. Dig a hole that is several times wider than the pot and just as deep. You do not want to plant the deciduous tree too deep because it puts undue stress on it as it tries to establish itself. However, if you find you have dug the hole too deep, you can correct the problem when you go to plant the tree.

Removing the Pot

Once you have your planting hole prepared it’s time to remove the pot holding your deciduous tree. Depending on the size of the tree, you might require the help of another person to hold the tree while you remove its pot. Generally, tapping on the pot’s sides releases the root ball and the tree slides easily from the container. However, if the pot is stubborn and does not easily release from the root ball, you can cut away the bottom, place the remainder of the pot in the hole when you begin to plant, and cut down the sides to release the pot from the tree’s root ball.

Preventing Root Girdling

Tree girdling is when roots wrap around the trunk and chokes off the water and nutrients that flow from the root system and into the upper portion of the tree. Girdling weakens the trunk and the tree slowly declines, leading to its premature death. Normal tree trunks flare out at their base, but a girdled trunk’s base can be narrower than the upper portion of it, and can also look sunken or flattened.

Major causes of tree girdling is planting the tree too deep, forcing the root system into a hole that is too small for it, and root systems that are wrapping around each other and planted with the circular wrapping intact. If you remove the deciduous tree from its pot and see that the roots have filled the container and are wrapping around each other you need to alleviate the problem before planting the tree.

If the root system is still pliable, you can pull it apart with your hands so the roots spread outward and not in a circle. In addition, you can take a clean knife and cut through the roots that are circling, which forces them to grow outward. Whatever you do, do not plant the tree with wrapping roots or your tree will most likely suffer growth problems and possible death.

Planting Your Deciduous Tree

After you have prepped the hole and check for wrapping roots, it is time to plant your pot-grown deciduous tree in the hole. Place the tree in the hole and remove the remainder of the pot if needed. This is as easy as slicing down the side of the pot releasing it from the root ball. Make sure the tree won’t be planted any deeper than it was originally growing inside its pot. Next, you want to backfill the hole about halfway with soil and firm it up around the base of the tree using your feet or hands.

If the hole is a bit too deep, gently lift the tree from the hole and place the amount of soil needed in the hole to raise the tree up to the level it was originally growing inside the pot.

Planting in Clay or Heavy Soils

Heavy soils such as clay have a tendency to remain wet, which can lead to problems with root rot with your deciduous tree. You can cure the problem by making sure the heavy soil has plenty of compost or well-rotted manure worked into the area, which assists with drainage and creating a mound. Form a mound that is about a foot tall, before planting the tree, as this raises the root system out of the wet conditions.

Watering the Tree

Before you finish filling the hole, give the root system another good soaking by filling the hole with water. This will also help settle the soil around the root system. Allow the water to drain completely from the hole before you complete the planting process.

Finishing the Planting

Once the water has completely drained from the hole, fill the remainder of the hole with soil. Firm the soil up around the base of the tree by using your foot and make sure the area is level and does not slant downward away from the trunk, which will have the water running away from the root system and the tree won’t be properly watered.

If you desire, you can create about a 4-inch soil dam around the planting site that will keep the water in place over the root system and not having it run off into the yard. Once planted, apply a 3-4 inch layer of organic mulch over the planting site, keeping it several inches away from the trunk. This helps the soil retain moisture and cuts down on unwanted vegetative growth. Once you have applied the mulch, water the area again, saturating the root system.

Staking Pot-Grown Deciduous Trees

Staking your tree isn’t always necessary, but if your planting site has a tendency to become windy, or your potted tree has a small root ball and a large, leafy canopy, it is probably a good idea to stake it for the first season of growth. After that time, remove the stakes, as the root system will have fully established itself into the new planting site.

When staking your tree you will need two stakes that are around 5 feet tall, a hammer and tree staking straps or another soft material like canvas strapping. Do not use ropes or wire as it can damage the tree by cutting into the trunk.

Place the stakes on opposite sides of the tree and about 1.5 feet from the tree’s root ball. Hammer the stakes into the ground about 18 inches and place the straps around the tree and then around the stake in a figure eight position. This allows the trunk some leeway as it moves with wind. You do not want to tie the rope tightly and directly around the trunk or damage can occur.

Follow-up Care of Pot-Grown Deciduous Trees

It can take three or four months for your deciduous tree’s root system to establish itself into its new planting site, so it requires regular water. For the first few months after planting, plan to water twice weekly. Watering deeply is better than a light sprinkling as it reaches the roots and allows them to grow deep in the soil. After the first few months and depending on your weather, you can reduce watering to once each week. However, if your weather is hot and dry, you may have to water the tree several times each week.

Replace the organic mulch each spring and fertilize with a blend for your particular tree, following package directions on amounts and frequency of use. By following a few basic steps in preparing your pot-grown deciduous tree for its new site, you are sure to have a healthy and robustly growing tree for years to come, gracing your landscape with its beauty.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

In a Nutshell

• Remove all packaging
• Water the plant in its pot
• Choose a suitable planting site for the needs of your plant
• Prepare the soil
• Dig a hole the depth of the pot
• Put the plant in its hole and replace most of the soil
• Water well, let the water drain away and put back the rest of the soil
• Put a mulch around your plant and water regularly

Remove Your Boxwood Bushes from the Box

The very first thing to do is un-wrap your boxwoods. Remove all the wrapping materials, remove them from the box and remove any wrapping around the plants themselves. Leave the boxwood in its pot until you are ready to plant. If you have received a rose tree, check that the stake is secure and put some stones around the pot so that it doesn’t fall over.

Move your plant around by picking up the pot – do not lift it by the trunk or stem.

Care Before Planting Time

Your plants have been on a journey and they will be a little stressed, so place them in a shady part of your garden and give them a good watering. Do not put them in the garage, a shed or in the house, even if it is cold outside. Your boxwood will live happily in its pot for some time as long as you care for it. After a couple of days move it into a more sunny location. Remember to water every day or every second day, depending on how warm the weather is – do not let the pot become dry. If it does become very dry, place it in a bucket and half-fill the bucket with water so that the soil can soak completely.

Choosing a Planting Location

Boxwood bushes will grow in both full-sun and partial-shade, so you have lots of choices for where you plant them. If you are not going to clip them, then allow enough space for them to reach full-size. Use the spread listed in our description of the plant as a guide. If you are planting an assortment of shrubs then take the spread of each, divide it by two and then add the numbers you get for each plant together to find the spacing between two different types of shrubs.

For planting a small English Boxwood hedge, allow 12 inches between each plant. For a taller hedge, perhaps three to four feet tall, allow 18 inches between each plant.

For a larger American Boxwood hedge, allow 3-4 feet between each plant.

If you are planting your boxwoods as a hedge along the property line, set them back three feet since your neighbor can cut them if they spread into his property.

Preparing the Planting Site

Good soil preparation is the key to the success of your boxwood. These shrubs are adaptable to many kinds of soil, but they do not want to be in soil that is permanently wet. They do like moisture, so if you have a sandy soil be sure to add plenty of organic material to the soil. Whatever your soil is like, use it. Do not try to dig a hole and fill it with soil you bought somewhere else. If your soil is poor, just use extra organic material.

You goal is to make a large area of looser soil that the young roots can penetrate easily, getting food as they go and establishing quickly. You need to have an area at least three times the diameter of the pot, dug as deep as your spade will go. Add plenty of organic material to the soil as you dig. Almost any kind of organic material is good, among the best are well-rotted cow, sheep, or horse manure (if you can obtain them); garden compost; any ‘top-soil’ from a garden centre; or if you have nothing else, peat-moss. A bucket of material per plant is about right.

In addition, plants need fertilizer to help develop their roots. This can be rock phosphate or bone-meal or any kind of superphosphate. You can also use a fertilizer for evergreens, so whatever is available will be fine.

Remove roots of weeds from the area and any stones bigger than your fist. Smaller stones can be left and it is not a good idea to sieve the soil to remove smaller stones they are best left in and can help with drainage.

Turn over the soil, mixing the organic material and fertilizer into it and then level it off and get ready to plant. Save some of the organic material you used to mulch your boxwood after planting.

Preparing the Plant

The evening before you are going to plant, give the pot a good soaking with water. If the root ball is dry when you plant, it may stay that way and cause your boxwood to suffer from dryness even if the surrounding soil is damp.

Digging the Hole

Now dig a hole in the exact spot where you want your boxwood to be, making it twice the diameter of the pot, but only just as deep. If you have dug the soil deeper than that, use your foot to press down the soil in the bottom of the hole, to form a firm base beneath the plant. This is to prevent it from sinking deeper than you want in the hole after you have planted it.

For planting a hedge, especially a small one with English Boxwood, remove a trench exactly where you want the hedge. Use a string to get the line straight. Make the trench the same depth as the depth of the pots and space the plants out evenly along the trench. For a larger hedge you can dig separate holes but a trench is often easier.

Removing the Pot

Take your boxwood to the planting hole and slide the pot gently off. You may need to tap the edge a couple of times to release the roots, but it should slide out pretty easily. Usually there will be plenty of roots filling the pot and the root-ball will stay together and not fall apart at all.

Planting the Boxwoods

Now place the plant in the centre of your hole, checking that the top of the root-ball is level with the soil around it. Replace about three-quarters of the soil in the hole, pressing it down around the roots of your boxwood. If you have left the pot on, do the same thing, but when you have finished, cut the string holding the pot together and gently work the cut pot out of the soil. Finish firming down the soil – a gentle foot pressure or firm hand pressure is about right.

Watering the Plant

Now fill the hole with lots of water, letting it soak down into the ground and into the root ball. Use plenty of water and then wait until it has all drained away. This will give plenty of water around the roots, where it is needed.

Finishing the Planting

Now put back the rest of the soil, firming it gently down. Make sure you have only covered the top of the root ball with a very little soil, no more than one inch. Make sure the soil is not sloping away from the plant or hedge, but flat, so that when you water it will stay around plant, not run away. Some gardeners like to make a low wall of soil around their plants, at a spot about twice the diameter of the pot, to retain water. This is a fine thing to do, but not absolutely necessary. Put a layer of organic material over the whole root area, about three inches deep and a few inches away from the stem and then water everything thoroughly. Keep the mulch a couple of inches away from the stem of your plant

Planting in a Container

Boxwoods are great plants for pots and containers, since their root-system is not large and they will live well for many years in a large pot. Make sure the container you choose has drainage holes, this is vital and if you can, don’t place a saucer underneath the pot as this can keep the soil too wet. Use a soil for outdoor planters from your local garden center.

Make sure your container is large enough for there to be soil beneath and around the root-ball. Water the container thoroughly after planting and then whenever it starts to become a little dry on the top layer.

Boxwood bushes in containers should be left outdoors in the winter; as they need a period of cold weather.

Follow-up Care of Boxwood Trees

Replace the mulch over the roots each spring and use an evergreen plant fertilizer as well. Regular clipping from late spring to mid-fall will keep your plants dense and attractive, but plants that are left unclipped will also grow into interesting and attractive informal bushes, so clipping is not absolutely necessary at all.

So that is it. Your new boxwood is set for a great life and will reward you with greater and greater beauty every year as it develops into a perfect specimen. A little care really pays off.

In a Nutshell

• Remove all packaging
• Water the trees in their pots
• Prepare the soil
• Dig out a trench along the hedge line to the depth of the pot
• Line-out the trees in the trench and replace most of the soil
• Water well, let the water drain and put back the rest of the soil
• Put a mulch over the roots and water once a week for the first season
• Start trimming as soon as the plants begin to grow

Remove your Trees from the Box

The very first thing to do is un-wrap your trees. Remove all the wrapping materials, remove the trees from the box and remove any wrapping around the trees themselves.

Do not remove them from their pots. Move your plants around by picking up the pot – do not lift them by the trunk or stem.

It may be that your trees are wrapped in cloth – burlap – in a method called Ball & Burlap or B&B. We will give you some tips on planting from this specific method. The first tip is to always move the plants by the ropes that wrap them up, not by picking up the plant, which can cause the ball to begin to split.

Care Before Planting Time

Your trees have been on a journey and they will be a little stressed, so place them in a shady part of your garden and give them a good watering. Do not put them in the garage, a shed or in the house, even if it is cold outside. Do not remove them from the pot, or unwrap the roots.

Your trees are in pots:

If you are not going to be planting for a little while, that is fine, they will be happy in their pots, but if they are sun-loving, after a day or two in the shade, move them to a sunny location. Remember to water every day or every second day, depending on how warm the weather is – do not let the pots become completely dry. If a pot does become very dry, place it in a bucket and half-fill the bucket with water so that the soil can soak completely.

Your trees are Ball & Burlap:

Treat them in the same way as trees growing in pots, but if the weather is very warm, piling some mulch over the root-balls will help keep them from drying out quickly. If they become very dry, soak them gently; do not place them in bucket of water as this may cause the root-ball to disintegrate.

Laying Out Your Hedge

Hedges are usually put along a property line, or to separate one area of the garden from another. If you are planting along the property line, remember to plant well inside the line or you could have future problems with your neighbours. If you plant right on your property line your neighbor has a legal right to cut plants back to the property line so plant well inside your own property. Planting at least three feet, and preferable more, inside that line will give you complete control over the growth and trimming of your own hedge – an important consideration.

Preparing the Planting Site

Good soil preparation is the key to the success of your trees. Whatever your soil is like, use it. Do not try to dig a hole and fill it with soil you bought somewhere else. If your soil is poor, just use extra organic material.

You goal is to make an area of looser soil that the young roots can penetrate easily, getting food as they go and establishing quickly. Add some organic material to the soil as you dig. Almost any kind of organic material is good, among the best are well-rotted animal manures; garden compost; any ‘top-soil’ from a garden centre; or if you have nothing else, peat-moss. An area two to three feet wide and the length of your hedge is about right. Use enough organic material to cover the area two to four inches deep. In addition, trees need fertilizer to help develop their roots. This can be rock phosphate or bone-meal or any kind of superphosphate. There are many ‘tree planting’ fertilizers available too and they all work well, so whatever is available will be fine.

Remove roots of weeds from the area and any stones bigger than your fist. Smaller stones can be left and it is not a good idea to sieve the soil to remove smaller stones – they are best left in and can help with drainage.

Turn over the soil, mixing the organic material and fertilizer into it and then level it off and get ready to plant. Save some of the organic material you used to mulch your hedge after planting.

Preparing the Trees

The evening before you are going to plant, give the pots a good soaking with water. If the root ball is dry when you plant, it may stay that way and cause your trees to suffer from dryness even if the surrounding soil is damp.

Planning your Hedge

Most hedge plants are planted on two, three or four foot centers. Planting at the closer spacing will give you a full hedge a little quicker, but wider spacing will also fill in soon, especially with fast-growing trees like Leyland Cypress or Thuja. If you need a very dense hedge, then planting two rows, two feet apart, with the plants on four foot centers, staggered, will also give you excellent results.

For smaller hedges made with Boxwood for example, a spacing of 12 to 18 inches apart is normally used.

So that you can create a good end to your hedge, the first and last plants each go half the chosen spacing distance from the end of the area for your hedge.

Digging the Holes

The simplest method is to dig a trench along the line of the hedge, just to the depth of the pots. Use a rope stretched between two stakes to make sure your line is straight. With wider spacing it is also possible to dig individual holes the depth of the pots. The benefit of using is a trench is that you can easily make adjustments to the spacing and get a perfectly even effect right from the start.

Begin by placing the two end plants in their positions and then space the remaining plants evenly between them. Take your time with the spacing – gaps will show for quite a long time.

Removing the Coverings

For trees in Pots:

Slide the pots gently off the plants. You may need to tap the edge a couple of times to release the root-ball, but it should slide out pretty easily. Usually there will be plenty of roots filling the pot and the root-ball will stay together and not fall apart at all.

If it looks like the soil is going to fall off the roots, don’t worry, that is easily dealt with. Simply leave it in the pot, take a sharp knife and cut around the bottom of the pot and remove the base. Then get someone to hold the pot together while you cut down the side of the pot. Tie a piece of string around it to hold it together while you plant.

For Ball & Burlap trees:

Keep all the coverings on the trees until you have them correctly placed. Then use a sharp knife to cut through the ropes and remove them. Any pieces left underneath the trees will not cause a problem. Unfold the burlap to expose the roots and trim away any surplus. Do not try to lift the trees to remove the rest – just push it down into the soil where it will soon rot.

Planting the Trees

Now check that the top of the root-balls is level with the soil around it. Replace about three-quarters of the soil in the holes or trench, pressing it down around the roots of your trees. If you have left the pots on, as described above, do the same thing, but when you have finished, cut the string holding the pot together and gently work the cut pot out of the soil. Finish firming down the soil – a gentle foot pressure or firm hand pressure is about right.

Watering the Tree

Now fill the trench with lots of water, letting it soak down into the ground and into the root balls. Use plenty of water and then wait until it has all drained away. This will give lots of water around the roots, where it is needed.

Finishing the Planting

Now put back the rest of the soil, firming it gently down. Make sure you have only covered the top of the root ball with a very little soil, no more than one inch. If you can still see the top of the root ball, that is also fine. You should have soil left over to make a low ‘wall’ along either side of the trench, so that water will naturally run into it – this will be a great help with watering. Put a layer of organic material over the root area, about two inches deep and then water the whole area thoroughly again.

Planting in Clay and Wet Soils

If you have heavy, clay soil that stays wet for long periods, there is a special trick to planting which will help your hedge establish itself better. When you place the plants in the trench, put enough soil under them to raise them one or two inches above the surrounding level. When you put back the soil, make a long mound, with the trees now sitting above the general level of your garden. This will help water to drain away around the roots until your tree adapts to the location. You should still use mulch over the roots.

Staking

Normally staking is not necessary. Modern arborists prefer to let the wind strengthen the tree, and stakes often cause breakage of the upper part of your tree.

In a very windy location you could stake your hedge by driving a strong pole in at each end, and others every ten feet or so if necessary. These only need to show two feet above the ground. Run a wire tightly between these stakes and using something soft, like strips of cloth, tie each tree to the wire. After one growing season untie the trees and remove the wire – the roots will be well-established and there is no more danger of your hedge blowing down.

Follow-up Care of the Hedge

Until your hedge is established and the plants have spread out their roots, it will need regular watering for the first growing season. How often depends on the weather, but a good, slow soaking once a week is usually best, or twice a week if the weather is hot. Soak the whole area around the hedge, not just up against the stems of the plants. Future watering will depend on the type of trees you have used, your soil-type and local weather conditions.

Hedge Trimming

Most hedges plants need regular trimming to keep them neat, at the desired height and width and to prevent them becoming the large trees many of them naturally are. There are two basic rules that will give you the best hedge around.

• Start trimming as soon as the plants start to grow – don’t wait until they reach the full height you need. Light, regular trimming will build a dense structure and keep the lower part of the hedge growing well.
• Always trim the sides so that the top is thinner than the bottom – the sides should be flat but slope inwards towards the top. This is to let light reach the bottom and keep it green and healthy. If you let the top become wider than the bottom, the lower branches will begin to die and you will soon see gaps in the lower section of your hedge.

If you follow these two simple steps your hedge will be healthy, thick and strong from the top to the bottom for many, many years to come.

In a Nutshell

– Remove all packaging
– Water the shrub in its pot
– Choose a suitable planting site based on the needs of your shrub
– Prepare the soil
– Place your shrubs on the ground and decide their exact positions
– Dig a hole the depth of the pot
– Put the shrubs in their holes and replace most of the soil
– Water well, let the water drain and put back the rest of the soil
– Put mulch around your shrubs and water weekly for the first season

Getting Your Shrubs Ready to Plant

After you receive your shrubs, the first thing you will want to do is unwrap them. Remove any wrapping materials that are around the box and carefully remove the shrubs. Once out, remove any additional wrapping material around the shrubs. When moving your shrubs to another location, do not handle them by the stems or trunk, but instead, lift the entire pot. Otherwise, you can damage the shrub by breaking the branches or trunk.

Care Before Planting

It is normal for your shrubs to be a little frazzled from their journey to your house. The best thing you can do for them is place them in a shady location and give them a drink of water. Even if the weather is cold, do not situate your shrubs in an indoor location such as the garage, shed or your home.

Your shrubs will reside quite happily inside their pots until you are ready to plant them, provided you water them regularly. Feel the top inch of soil in the container and if it is dry, give the shrub water. Depending on your particular shrub’s light requirements and once they have adjusted to their new location, you can move them to a brighter location after several days. Just remember to keep them watered until you are ready to plant.

Choosing a Planting Location

When selecting the proper location for your shrubs, you want to choose a permanent location so you do not have to move them in the future. Consider what each particular variety of shrub’s light requirements are when choosing an appropriate location. You do not want to plant a shrub in a site that receives full sun all day if the shrub prefers a partially shady location or the foliage will burn and the shrub will not grow properly.

If you are using your shrubs as a privacy screen or windbreak, which is different that growing a hedge, we have special planting guides that give you tips in properly planting them so they grow to their full potential. The major difference between a hedge and the others is that a hedge is trimmed, whereas shrubs used for privacy screens or windbreaks are allowed to grow to their full potential without constant trimming.

Preparing the Planting Site

To get your shrubs off to the best start possible it’s all about having good soil, and proper preparation is key. Regardless of what your soil is like, use it and do not amend the site with soil you have brought in from another location. If your soil quality is sandy and lacks fertility, it is best to amend it with organic material.

The first step in preparing the planting site is to remove any unwanted vegetation that will rob your shrubs of moisture and nutrients, as well as any large rocks in the site. You can remove any weeds or grasses by pulling them out by hand or using a hard rake. If you decide to use an herbicide to kill the unwanted growth, allow the product to work for several weeks and then remove the dead vegetation before planting.

Once you have cleared the site of the unwanted growth, you can amend it with well-rotted manure or compost. Spread about a 6-8 inch layer of the organic material over the site and work it into the soil about 12 inches. This not only makes the site more fertile, but also loosens the soil, which assists the roots in having an easier time spreading out through the area. After amending the site, level the area and you are ready to plant your shrubs.

Preparing the Shrubs

You do not want to plant your shrubs into their new site with a dry root system. Therefore, the night before planting water the container’s soil. This helps get them off to the best start in their new site.

Laying Out Your Shrubs

Before you start digging holes, you will want to lay your shrubs out over the planting site to get the appropriate spacing between them. If you are using the shrubs along a property line, be sure to plant far enough back from your neighbor’s property so your shrubs do not grow over the line, where your neighbor has the right to trim them.

To assist in proper spacing, check our site for your particular shrub’s width at maturity, which gives you a good idea of how wide you can expect your shrubs to grow. If creating a hedge, you do not want to space your shrubs so far apart they will not fill in together, and you do not want to bunch them so close they won’t receive proper air circulation, which creates problems with disease.

A good rule of thumb to follow is taking your shrubs mature width and dividing that number in half. Space multiple shrubs this final distance apart from each plant’s center. For example, if your shrub grows 6 feet wide, space the holes about 3 feet apart. If you are planting next to a structure, use this number as the required distance you need to plant from a house, fence, etc. Once you know the distance between planting holes, position you shrubs on the planting site at the appropriate distance apart. Now you can start digging the holes.

However, for a more informal and natural appearance to the hedge, do not space the shrubs in a direct straight line. Instead, stagger them by planting every other one a little behind or in front of the one next to it.

Digging the Holes

Dig a hole where you have placed each shrub’s container, digging it about two to three times wider than the container and just as deep. If you have dug the hole a bit too deep, you can adjust the depth when you go to plant the shrub.

Removing the Pot

Once you have the planting hole prepared, gently slide the pot off the shrub’s root ball. If the pot seems snug and does not easily slide off, generally, if you tap the sides of the container it releases from the pot. Don’t try to forcefully pull the shrub out of its container or you may cause damage.

However, if it seems like all the soil is going to fall off the root ball when you remove the pot, do not stress because this is normal at times, especially with younger root systems. To keep everything together, you can use a sharp knife and cut away the bottom of the pot. When you plant, you simply place the entire pot in the hole and slice down the side, releasing the shrub from the container with the soil and roots intact.

Planting Your Shrubs

Next, place the shrub into the hole’s center, being sure it is not going to be planted any deeper than it was growing in the pot. If the hole is a bit too deep, gently lift up the shrub and place a bit more soil into the hole until the shrub is at the proper height. Next, you want to backfill the hole about halfway with soil, firming up around the shrub’s base using your hand or foot.

Watering the Shrubs

Before you finish filling the hole with soil, water the planting hole, saturating the root system. Allow all the water to drain from the hole and into the soil before you finishing filing the hole with soil.

Finishing the Planting

Once the water has completely drained from the hole, it is time to finish backfilling the hole with soil. Firm the soil up around the shrub’s base by pressing down with your hands or foot, making sure it’s not planted deeper than it was original growing. Planting too deep puts undue stress on the shrub and can impede its growth. Make sure the site is level so water does not drain away from the root system.

To help the soil retain moisture and cut down on unwanted growth from weeds and grasses, apply a 3-4 inch layer of organic mulch over the planting site, being sure not to let it bunch up against the base of the shrubs. Once you have applied the mulch, water the planting site again to saturate the roots.

Planting in Containers

Some shrubs, especially those that do not grow too big perform quite well in containers and can brighten up a porch or entranceway with their colorful foliage or flowers. If you choose to grow your shrub in containers, it is necessary to follow a few rules to promote the best health and growth possible, which cuts down on potential disease problems.

Select a container that is about one size larger than the one your shrub is presently growing in, as planting in a container that is too large can mean the soil remains too soggy. Make sure the container has bottom drain holes, or the too wet conditions can lead to rot problems and the possible death of your shrub. When it comes to soil, use a fertile, well-drained potting mix and some types have a slow-release fertilizer incorporated into it, which will feed your shrubs for several months.

As with shrubs planted in the ground, water the shrub before planting and do not plant any deeper than it was originally growing. Place the container in a location with the appropriate light conditions and water when the top inch of soil becomes dry to the touch. During the growing season of spring through summer, using a water-soluble, liquid plant food is usually sufficient in giving the shrub the nutrition it requires for good growth.

Follow-up Care of Shrubs

It can take two to three months or more for the shrub’s root systems to establish themselves in their new planting site and good care during this time is essential for good growth. During the shrub’s first few months of growth, water twice weekly. Thereafter, and depending on your local weather conditions, plan to water the shrubs with a deep soaking weekly.

However, if your conditions are hot and dry, you may have to water several times each week. Planting the shrubs in an appropriate planting site with good conditions means your shrubs will reward you with years of robust and healthy growth. It’s time well spent for a reward of greenery.

In a Nutshell

• Remove all packaging
• Water the tree in its pot
• Choose a suitable planting site for the needs of your tree
• Prepare the soil
• Dig a hole the depth of the pot
• Put the tree in its hole and replace most of the soil
• Water well, let the water drain and put back the rest of the soil
• Put a mulch around your tree and water once a week for the first season

Remove your trees from the box

The very first thing to do is un-wrap your trees. Remove all the wrapping materials, remove the trees from the box and remove any wrapping around the trees themselves.

If you see that your tree is growing in a plastic pot, you are reading the correct guide.It is also possible that your evergreen tree has its roots wrapped in burlap and rope. If that is the case, see our guide for planting Ball & Burlap trees, which applies to both deciduous and evergreen trees.

When you need to move your plant around, do it by picking up the pot – do not lift it by the trunk or stem.

Care Before Planting Time

Your trees have been on a journey and they will be a little stressed, so place them in a shady part of your garden and give them a good watering. Do not put them in the garage, a shed or in the house, even if it is cold outside. Do not remove them from the pot. If you are not going to be doing the planting for a little while, that is fine, they will be happy in their pots, but if your tree is a sun-loving tree, after a day or two in the shade, move it to a sunny location. Remember to water every day or every second day, depending on how warm the weather is – do not let the pot become completely dry. If it does become very dry, place it in a bucket and half-fill the bucket with water so that the soil can soak completely.

Choosing a Planting Location

Once your tree has been planted it is best not to try and move it again, so spend some time deciding exactly where to plant it. Look at its needs for sun or shade and choose a suitable spot in your garden for it. Consider how wide it is going to grow and allow enough space from buildings in particular, but also from fences and walls.

If you plant right on your property line your neighbor has a legal right to cut back your tree to the property line, which may not look very nice, so plant well inside your property so that you have control over growth and pruning of your own trees. If you are planting a screen or hedge, we have special guides for planting hedges, windbreaks and privacy screens.

Preparing the Planting Site

Good soil preparation is the key to the success of your tree. Whatever your soil is like, use it. Do not try to dig a hole and fill it with soil you bought somewhere else. If your soil is poor, just use extra organic material.

You goal is to make a large area of looser soil that the young roots can penetrate easily, getting food as they go and establishing quickly. You need to have an area at least three times the diameter of the pot dug as deep as your spade will go. Add some organic material to the soil as you dig. Almost any kind of organic material is good, among the best are well-rotted cow, sheep, or horse manure (if you can obtain them); garden compost; any ‘top-soil’ from a garden centre; or if you have nothing else, peat-moss. A bucket per tree is about right, but any amount you have is worthwhile. In addition, trees need fertilizer to help develop their roots. This can be rock phosphate or bone-meal or any kind of superphosphate. There are many ‘tree planting’ fertilizers available too and they all work well, so whatever is available will be fine.

Remove roots of weeds from the area and any stones bigger than your fist. Smaller stones can be left and it is not a good idea to sieve the soil to remove smaller stones they are best left in and can help with drainage.

Turn over the soil, mixing the organic material and fertilizer into it and then level it off and get ready to plant. Save some of the organic material you used to mulch your tree after planting.

Preparing the Tree

The evening before you are going to plant, give the pots a good soaking with water. If the root-ball is dry when you plant, it may stay that way and cause your tree to suffer from dryness even if the surrounding soil is damp.

Digging the Hole

Now dig a hole in the exact spot where you want your tree to be, making it two or three times the diameter of the pot, but only just as deep. If you have dug the soil deeper than that, use your foot to press down the soil in the bottom of the hole, to form a firm base beneath the tree. This is to prevent it from sinking deeper than you want in the hole after you have planted it.

Removing the Pot

Take your tree to the planting hole and slide the pot gently off. You may need to tap the edge a couple of times to release the roots, but it should slide out pretty easily. Usually there will be plenty of roots filling the pot and the root-ball will stay together and not fall apart at all.

The key to success in planting evergreen trees is to keep the root-ball undisturbed. Do not shake off soil or cut the roots. If it seems that the root-ball inside the pot is not solid, and this can happen, it is quite normal, then leave your tree in its pot, take a sharp knife and cut around the bottom of the pot and remove the base. After you have the tree positioned in its hole and some soil in place to stabilize its, you will cut down the sides of the pot in one or two places and gently slide the pieces out of the hole, leaving the root-ball undisturbed.

Planting the Tree

Now place the tree in the centre of your hole, checking that the top of the root-ball is level with the soil around it. Replace about three-quarters of the soil in the hole, pressing it down around the roots of your tree. If you have left the pot on, do the same thing, but when you have finished, cut the pot together and gently work the cut pot out of the soil. Finish firming down the soil – a gentle foot pressure or firm hand pressure is about right.

Watering the Tree

Now fill the hole with lots of water, letting it soak down into the ground and into the root ball. Use plenty of water and then wait until it has all drained away. This will give plenty of water around the roots, where it is needed.

Finishing the Planting

Now put back the rest of the soil, firming it gently down. Make sure you have only covered the top of the root ball with a very little soil, no more than one inch. Make sure the soil is not sloping away from the tree, but flat, so that when you water it will stay around the tree, not run away. Some gardeners like to make a low wall of soil around the tree, at a spot about twice the diameter of the pot, to retain water. This is a fine thing to do, but not absolutely necessary. Put a layer of organic material over the root area, about two inches deep and then water the whole area thoroughly.

Planting in Clay and Wet Soils

If you have heavy, clay soil that stays wet for long periods, there is a special trick to planting which will help your tree establish itself better. Rake some of the soil from the edges of your planting area into the centre, to build a slightly-raised mound. Plant your tree on this mound and additionally, leave the top inch of the root-ball above the final surface of the soil after planting. This will help water to drain away around the roots until your tree adapts to the location. You should still use mulch over the roots.

Staking

Normally staking is not necessary. Modern arborists prefer to let the wind strengthen the tree, and stakes often cause breakage of the upper part of your tree.

In a very windy location two short stakes, well driven in but showing just a foot or so above the soil, can be used. Place these on opposite sides of the tree, outside the area where the roots are. If the prevailing wind is, for example, from the north, then place one stake on the north side and one on the south side. Wrap some cloth around the trunk to protect it and tie a strong rope from each stake to the trunk. Some remaining movement in the upper part of the tree is fine, it does not have to be held rigidly, and in fact that is not a good idea. A stake high up into the tree is normally not necessary and can do more long-term harm than good.

If you have used stakes, remove them after one growing season, once the roots are well-established.

Follow-up Care of the Tree

Until your tree is established and has spread out its roots, it will need regular watering. How often depends on the weather, but a good, slow soaking once a week is usually best, or twice a week if the weather is hot. Soak the whole area around the tree, not just up against the trunk

So that is it. Your new evergreen tree is set for a great life and will reward you with vigorous growth and year-round healthy foliage. A little care really pays off.

If your trees have roots with no soil on them, then this is the planting guide you need to follow. If they are in a pot or have a root-ball wrapped in cloth, please consult our list of guides for the correct one for your tree.

If your trees have no soil on the roots, do not be alarmed. This is a common way of shipping certain kinds of trees. You will be surprised how quickly these trees will establish themselves and throughout the landscape industry this is a normal way of planting trees, especially fruit trees, mainly of course during the dormant season.

Although your tree will have no leaves on it, there may be the beginnings of growth from the buds. They may be showing a few tiny leaves or a few flower buds, and again, do not be concerned; this is perfectly normal and will give you no problems. If there is growth showing it is a good idea to complete your planting as soon as you can. If your trees are completely dormant then there is no rush, take as much time as you need.

In a Nutshell

– Remove all packaging
– Store the tree in water or a temporary hole
– Choose a suitable planting site for the needs of your tree
– Prepare the soil
– Dig a hole deep enough to contain the roots
– Put the tree in its hole and spread out the roots
– Replace most of the soil
– Water well, let the water drain and put back the rest of the soil
– Put a mulch around your tree and water once a week for the first season

Getting Your Bare-Root Trees Ready to Plant

The very first thing to do is un-wrap your trees. Remove all the wrapping materials, remove the trees from the box and remove any wrapping around the trees themselves. Depending on the exact trees, the roots may be wrapped in some cloth or placed inside a plastic bag. Do not remove this until you are ready to go to the next step.

Care Before Planting Time

The critical success factor with bare-root trees is to never let the roots become dry. So never leave your tree lying on the ground with the roots exposed, even for a short time. The wind can quickly dry the roots and cause damage. To protect the roots from drying you have a few options, depending on when you are going to be planting your trees:

Option #1: If you are going to plant your trees within the next 24 hours, the simplest and best thing to do is to place the roots in water. You can use a bucket or garbage can – anything big enough to hold the roots will be fine. Put some water in the container, remove any final wrapping from the roots and put the trees in the container so that the roots are completely under the water. If some of the stem is below the water as well that is fine. Put the container in the shade if you can but that is not at all essential. Leave the trees in the water until the moment of planting.

Option #2: If you are not ready to plant for a while, then dig a shallow hole somewhere in your garden, lay the trees at an angle in the hole, water them well and put back enough soil to entirely cover the roots. Trees can be left like this for weeks if necessary, as long as they are not sprouting more than a very small amount.

Choosing a Planting Location

Once your tree has been planted it is best not to try and move it again, so spend some time deciding exactly where to plant it. Look at its needs for sun or shade and choose a suitable spot in your garden for it. Consider how wide it is going to grow and allow enough space from buildings in particular, but also from fences and walls.

If you plant right on your property line, your neighbor has a legal right to cut back your tree to the property line, which may not look very nice, so plant well inside your property so that you have control over the growth and pruning of your own trees. If you are planting a screen or hedge, we have special guides for planting hedges, windbreaks and privacy screens.

Preparing the Planting Site

Good soil preparation is the key to the success of your tree. Whatever your soil is like, use it. Do not try to dig a hole and fill it with soil you bought somewhere else. If your soil is poor, just use extra organic material.

Your goal is to make a large area of looser soil that the young roots can penetrate easily, getting food as they go and establishing quickly. You need to have an area at least three times the diameter of the pot dug as deep as your spade will go. Add some organic material to the soil as you dig. Almost any kind of organic material is good, among the best are well-rotted cow, sheep, or horse manure (if you can obtain them); garden compost; any ‘top-soil’ from a garden centre; or if you have nothing else, peat-moss. A bucket per tree is about right, but any amount you have is worthwhile. In addition, trees need fertilizer to help develop their roots. This can be rock phosphate or bone-meal or any kind of superphosphate. There are many ‘tree planting’ fertilizers available too and they all work well, so whatever is available will be fine.

Remove roots of weeds from the area and any stones bigger than your fist. Smaller stones can be left and it is not a good idea to sieve the soil to remove smaller stones they are best left in and can help with drainage. Turn over the soil, mixing the organic material and fertilizer into it and then level it off and get ready to plant. Save some of the organic material you used to mulch your tree after planting.

Preparing Your Tree

If you have your tree already in a bucket of water then you are ready to go. If not, dig them carefully from the soil they have been in and place them in a bucket of water the night before you plant, or at least a few hours before planting, if possible. If there is any string holding the roots together remove it.

Digging the Hole

If you have prepared the planting area properly then you only need a hole that is large enough to take the roots comfortably. You want them spread out, not bunched up. If you are planting a windbreak, hedge, or screen, digging a trench is a good way to do this and makes positioning your trees very easy. Dig out the necessary amount of soil and put it to one side.

Staking

Bare-root trees need some support while the roots become established in the ground, so you need a stake for your tree. This should be strong enough to drive into the ground and be firm and not bend at all. Garden centers and hardware stores usually sell suitable stakes, and we even sell them at The Tree Center (you can find them here). These should be put in before placing the tree in the hole, so that you don’t accidentally damage the roots driving it in after planting.

There are a couple of different methods possible. A single stake that will be a little taller than the trunk of your tree is a good method. Drive this stake well into the ground once you have dug your hole, placing it slightly to one side of where the trunk of your tree is to go.

The second method is to use two short stakes, well driven in but showing just a foot or so above the soil. Place these on opposite sides of where your tree will be, outside the area where the roots are. If the prevailing wind is, for example, from the north, then place one stake on the north side and one on the south side.

Planting Your Bare-Root Tree

Remove the tree from the bucket of water. Look at the trunk close to the roots. You may be able to see a line where the color of the bark suddenly changes. This is where you want the soil level to be when you are finished planting.

Many trees are grafted – a stem from the exact variety wanted is attached to strong roots from another plant that will control the final size of your tree and give a vigorous and hardy root system. This will show with a sudden bend in the trunk – like a dog’s back leg. This area should be an inch or two above the ground so that you can clearly identify any shoots coming from the root-system and remove them, as they will not be what you want to have growing.

Place the tree in the hole and if you have an assistant to hold it at the correct height that will make planting easier. You can also use some string to temporarily attach the tree to the stake at the correct height while you plant, or just hold it with one hand while you replace the soil by pushing it with the spade in your other hand or even with your feet. Spread out the roots over the soil and replace about three-quarters of the soil in the hole, pressing it down around the roots of your tree. Finish firming down the soil – a gentle foot pressure or firm hand pressure is about right.

Watering Your Tree

Now fill the hole with lots of water, letting it soak down into the ground and into the root ball. Use plenty of water and then wait until it has all drained away. This method will make sure there is lots of water around the roots, where it is needed.

Finishing the Planting

Now put back the rest of the soil, firming it gently down. Make sure the soil is not sloping away from the tree, but is flat. This will ensure that when you water it, it will stay around the tree, not run away. Some gardeners like to make a low wall of soil around the tree, at a spot about twice the diameter of the root area, to retain water. This is a fine thing to do, but not absolutely necessary. Put a layer of organic material over the root area, about two inches deep and then water the whole area thoroughly.

Planting in Clay and Wet Soils

If you have heavy, clay soil that stays wet for long periods, there is a special trick to planting which will help your tree establish itself better. Rake some of the soil from the edges of your planting area into the center, to build a slightly-raised mound. Plant your tree on this mound so that the final surface of the soil after planting is above the surrounding area. This will help water to drain away around the roots until your tree adapts to the location. You should still use mulch over the roots.

Complete the Staking

Now attach the tree to the stake(s). Wrap the stem with some cloth and use strong rope to secure the tree firmly to the stakes. If you have a short piece of hose-pipe you can thread the rope through that and position the hose on the bark, as a way of protecting it. The rope needs to be tight enough so that the tree does not move around at soil level. It is good if the upper part can move a little, but the base must be kept still to allow the roots to catch into the soil.

Remove the stake after one growing season, once the roots are well-established. Leave it in place during the first winter and remove it in spring when the new growth begins.

Follow-up Care of Your Bare-Root Tree

Until your tree is established it will need regular watering. How often depends on the weather, but a good, slow soaking once a week is usually best (or twice a week if the weather is hot). Soak the whole area around the tree, not just up against the trunk

So that is it. Your new tree is set for a great life and will reward you with vigorous growth, cooling shade, beautiful flowers or delicious fruit. A little care really pays off.

In a Nutshell

– Remove all the packaging
– Water the Japanese maple in its pot
– Choose a suitable planting site for the needs of your tree
– Prepare the soil
– Dig a hole the depth of the pot
– Put the Japanese maple in its hole and replace most of the soil
– Water well, let the water drain away and put back the remainder of the soil
– Place mulch around your Japanese maple and water regularly

Getting Your Japanese Maples Ready to Plant

Once your Japanese maple arrives, the first order of business is to unwrap it. Remove all the wrapping materials from around the box and around the maple itself, once you carefully remove it from its shipping container. Leave the tree in its pot until you have prepared the preferred planting site and are ready to plant.

If the Japanese maples you received were not in pots, but with their roots wrapped in burlap (which is a method called Ball & Burlap, or B&B) do not remove the wrapping until you actually plant.

If you received the Japanese maple during winter, your tree will not have any leaves. However, you can still plant as long as the ground isn’t frozen. Do not worry because this is normal for Japanese maples as they are deciduous (drop their foliage in winter) and once the warm weather of spring arrives, your tree will spring back to life with a new flush of leaves and growth.

In addition and so you don’t damage your Japanese maple, always move it around by picking up the pot. Do not lift it by the trunk or stems. If your tree arrived with the roots wrapped in burlap, lift the tree by the ropes and do not remove the burlap until you plant.

Care Before Planting Time

Once you get your tree unpacked, place it in a shady location in your garden and be sure to water well. To maintain its health and regardless if it’s cold outside, don’t place the maple in your garage, shed, or inside your home. The tree will happily live in its pot or burlap wrapping for quite a while as long as its properly cared for. The biggest thing to remember is to water the maple and not allow the soil to completely dry out. Depending on your local weather conditions, this might call for watering every day to every other day.

You can easily check the soil’s moisture by sticking your finger into soil and if the top inch feels dry, give the tree a good soaking. To keep the roots of Ball & Burlap trees moist, gently apply water to the bagged area. You do not want to water with a forceful stream or you may remove the soil from around the roots.

If your Japanese maple is going to remain in the pot or burlap for weeks before planting, you can harden it off to brighter conditions where it will be growing by gradually increasing the amount of light it receives. Just keep moving it to brighter light conditions every few days or weekly. By the time you are ready to plant, it will be adjusted to the light conditions the planting site receives.

Choosing a Planting Location

When selecting an appropriate location to plant your Japanese maple, you will want to choose a location where it will permanently grow for years to come and meet the tree’s preferred requirements for healthy growth. These trees put on a riot of color, so you might consider areas where they are focal points allowing their magnificent splendor to shine the brightest.

The first thing you will want to consider when selecting a planting site is the particular maple’s mature size and growth habits. To prevent potential problems with diseases and pests, you will want to allow adequate air circulation around the maple. This means you do not want it crowding against a wall, fence, structure, or bunched against other shrubs and trees, which also eliminates the need to prune branches that get in the way. You also do not want to plant it where it will receive strong winds.

In addition, do not plant the Japanese maple on your property line, as it can encroach on your neighbor’s property and they will have the right to prune it. Once again, consider its mature size and width and plant far enough from the property line where the tree can achieve this size and remain on your side of the line.

Consider that Japanese maples with an upright growth habit can grow as wide as they grow tall, evolving into small trees. However, those with a weeping growth habit usually grow wider than they grow tall and make attractive specimens used around a pond or sloped area.

Another important factor to consider when selecting an appropriate location to plant is the amount of sunlight the area receives. A site that receives sunlight throughout the morning hours and some shade during the afternoon is ideal. However, Japanese maple varieties producing red leaves will have the deepest color year-round when receiving sunlight during the day. Check our website under the tree’s description for preferred sun requirements, as some Japanese maples tolerate more than others do.

Preparing the Planting Site

Planting and growing your Japanese maple in soil that is properly prepared is necessary for its success. For the best growth and performance, Japanese maples prefer a rich soil high in organic materials but drains well. Although they like moisture, they will not tolerate wet feet, planted in soils that have a tendency to remain soggy. If you soil is sandy and lacks fertility, you can amend the site with organic materials. However, do not amend the site with another type of soil brought in from another location but instead use organic matter.

The first step in preparing the planting site is clearing it of any unwanted growth from weeds and grasses. You can do this by either pulling the vegetation out by hand or using a hard rake. If you decide to kill the weeds and grass by using an herbicide, wait at least two weeks before planting to make sure the vegetation is dead and then remove it from the site. Prepare an area that is around 3 feet in diameter, so there is no chance of the trunk becoming damaged through the use of yard equipment.

Cover the planting site with about 6- to 8-inches of an organic material like well-rotted manure or compost and work it down and into the soil about a foot. This allows the roots an easier time spreading out through the area and increases drainage.

However, if the area has a tendency to retain water or your soil is heavy like clay, you will want to create a mound that lifts the Japanese maple’s roots out of the wet conditions. Amend the soil with the organic materials and then create a mound that is about a foot tall before planting.

Preparing the Tree

For the best success when you plant your Japanese maple, thoroughly saturate the root ball with water the evening before you plan to plant. It is better to have the root ball hydrated with water when you plant it in the ground than having it completely dry.

Digging the Hole

Next, you will want to dig the hole to plant the Japanese maple. Dig a hole that is several times wider than and as deep as the pot. You do not want to plant the Japanese maple any deeper than it was originally growing, as it puts a strain on the tree and can impede proper growth. If the hole is too deep, just backfill with soil until you achieve the proper depth and then plant.

Removing the Pot

Depending on the size of your tree and so you do not damage any branches, you may need someone to hold the Japanese maple while you remove the pot. It should slide off relatively easy from the root ball, but if not, usually tapping the sides of the pot will the release the root ball from the container. If the pot proves stubborn and does not slide off easily, you can carefully cut off the bottom using a knife or box cutter.

For Ball & Burlap trees, allow the cloth covering to remain in place until you do the actual planting.

Planting Your Japanese Maple Tree

Next, you want to place the Japanese maple’s root ball into the hole, making sure you are not planting it any deeper than it was growing in the container. If needed, backfill the hole with additional soil to raise the root ball up to the correct level with the ground. Once you have the root ball in the planting hole, backfill the hole about halfway with soil. Firm the soil up around the root ball by gently pressing down on it using your foot or hands.

If planting a Ball & Burlap tree, position the tree with the cloth covering intact inside the hole. Using a sharp knife, cut through the ropes or strings and remove them. Cut down the sides of the burlap and remove. Do not worry about any left under the tree, if it is the traditional cloth burlap. Just push it down into the soil and it will rot over time and not impeded the tree’s growth. However, if it’s not the traditional cloth burlap you need to remove it, as it will not breakdown in the soil. Have someone help you hold the tree as you slip the product out from under the root ball.

Watering the Tree

Before you finish filling the hole with the remainder of the soil, you need to water the hole to help settle the soil around the roots and give them an additional drink. Fill the hole with water and allow it to drain completely.

Finishing the Planting

Once the water has drained from the hole, backfill with the remainder of the soil. Once the hole is filled, firm the soil up around the base of the Japanese maple using your foot. Make sure the planting site is level and the soil does not slope away from the tree. Water then can saturate the root system and not flow away and into the lawn.

Although not necessary, you can form a soil dam that is several inches high around the outer diameter of the planting site, which helps retain the water directly over the root system.

To help cut down on unwanted growth of vegetation and help the soil retain moisture, apply a 3-inch layer of organic mulch over the planting site, spreading it evenly. Just be sure to keep the mulch pulled several inches away from the Japanese maple’s trunk. Water the planting site again, being sure to thoroughly saturate the root ball.

Staking Japanese Maple Trees

It is not necessary to stake the tree. However, if your Japanese maple has a cascading growth habit, you can stake a few branches and keep it upright, which leads to a taller, multi-tiered tree. When staking your maple you will need two stakes that are around 5 feet tall, a hammer and tree staking straps or another soft material like canvas strapping. Do not use ropes or wire as it can damage the tree by cutting into the trunk.

Place the stakes on opposite sides of the tree and about 1.5 feet from the tree’s root ball. Hammer the stakes into the ground about 18 inches and place the straps around the tree and then around the stake in a figure eight position. This allows the trunk some leeway as it moves with wind. You do not want to tie the rope tightly and directly around the trunk or damage can occur.

Planting in a Container

Most Japanese maples grow quite well planted in containers or planter boxes, as long as the container drains. They dress up a porch or entranceway with their unique forms and brilliant colors. When transplanting from the original container, repot into one that is one to two sizes larger and the maple should grow happily for several years before it will require a bigger pot. Use a fertile potting mix that drains well and be sure not to plant the maple any deeper than it was growing in the original pot.

After planting, water the container’s soil until it runs from the bottom drain holes. Japanese maples grow best in moist soil that drains well, so depending on your local weather conditions you may have to water several times each week. Stick your finger into the soil and if the top inch feels dry, apply water.

You can fertilize your Japanese maple in spring and early summer using a product like fish emulsion, blood or bone meal. Follow package directions on amounts for your particular sized tree and do not use a product high in nitrogen. You can also use an all-purpose, water-soluble liquid fertilizer applied at half-strength. Do not apply too much or the leaves can suffer burns.

If you live in the coldest hardiness zone for your particular Japanese maple, you will need to give it some protection during the coldest months of winter. The biggest goal is to protect the roots. Although you might be tempted to bring your maple indoors, this isn’t the best course of action to take due to the dry, hot air indoors. If you have a protected greenhouse you can place the potted maple in there, otherwise, bury the entire pot in the ground in a location in the garden that is protected from strong winds.

Follow-up Care of Japanese Maples

Although Japanese maples don’t perform well in soils that are constantly soggy, they do like consistent moisture for the best growth. Once planted, it takes around three or four months for the root system to establish itself in its new planting site, so it requires regular water. For the first few months, water twice weekly. Thereafter, and depending on your particular location’s weather, give the maple a deep soaking once to two times weekly, especially if your conditions are hot and dry.

Japanese maples do not require large amounts of fertilizer or frequent feedings, so fertilize in spring using a slow-release blend for trees, applied at the rate suggested on the particular product’s label. You do not want to use a product high in nitrogen.

Each spring replace the mulch with fresh, remembering not to allow it to butt against the trunk to prevent potential disease problems. The only pruning that is needed is to remove any broken or damaged branches, or any that are crossing each other. Always sterilize your pruning tool blades by wiping them off with alcohol before making your cuts so you don’t transfer disease to your Japanese maple.

By giving your Japanese maple the best start possible, it will reward you with years of healthy growth along with its colorful splendor. Its dazzling beauty will make it the true rock star of your garden.