This is the best time to plant shrubs and bushes

Shrubs and bushes in the garden serve as a privacy screen or as a green eye-catcher on a large meadow, as well as a garden bed separation. A distinction is made here between evergreen, flowering or deciduous shrubs and bushes. Every hobby gardener who wants to cultivate new plants in the garden naturally wonders when the best time to plant them is.

Unfortunately, there is not just one answer to the question of the best time to plant shrubs and bushes. Because many factors play a role here. So it already depends on whether it is container goods, so the bush is delivered in a pot, right does it come without a pot only as a root ball from the garden center to the home garden or is it even there bare root. It depends crucially on whether these shrubs should be planted in spring or autumn. And the respective type or variety must also be taken into account here.

Ideal planting time

Basically, the best time to plant shrubs and bushes is between October and March, although the frosty days in winter should be avoided here. However, no new bushes should be cultivated in the garden during the hot summer months, as it is very can be dry and root growth can be very difficult for the shrubs if they don't have enough water receive. Of course, this does not have to be a reason not to plant the trees in summer, but most gardening experts advise against this. But even when it comes to the question of which shrubs are best planted in autumn or spring, there are several answers that need to be considered:

• how is the shrub delivered from the nursery
• in the container
• with root ball
• bare root
• the bush is frost hardy
• the plant needs winter protection
• are evergreen bushes
• the selected shrubs are deciduous
• Are they early or late flowering plants?

Planting time autumn

Many factors play a role in cultivating a shrub into the garden bed in the fall before frost. Especially for the bare-root bushes it is a great advantage if they are already back before the first frost planted, the only requirement for this is, of course, that it is also a hardy species acts. Because in most tree nurseries, the shrubs that are to be sold are removed from the beds in autumn and stored elsewhere. They are usually in cold stores or in bundles in ditches and the roots are only loosely covered here. Since they have already been taken from the soil, this storage is not good for the plants in the long run. For this reason, bare-root shrubs should only be bought in autumn, shortly after they have been excavated, and planted directly. This gives the hobby gardener the guarantee that these plants were taken fresh from the ground in the spacious bed and have not yet suffered any damage. There are other aspects to consider when planting in the fall:

• Soil should still be pleasantly warm in autumn
• plant before frost between mid-October and early December
• Plants require less water than in spring
• therefore frequent watering is not necessary
• shrubs with root balls can also be planted in autumn if they are a hardy variety

Spring planting time

Spring is actually the ideal time to plant all frost-sensitive shrubs and bushes. However, you should avoid resorting to bare-root plants when shopping in the nursery and prefer to choose container goods or shrubs with root balls. Especially those who choose early flowering shrubs will enjoy them more in spring Container goods, because here the roots are much better developed than with bare roots Plant. Shrubs that are sensitive to frost include above all the evergreen and deciduous deciduous trees such as:

• hibiscus
• hydrangea
• lavender
• cherry laurel
• boxwood
• rhododendron

Despite their sensitivity to frost, these bushes are usually planted in the garden bed and remain there over the winter. If they are planted in spring, they can take root well over the warm summer. This means that these not entirely frost-hardy shrubs survive the first winter much better than if they were only planted in autumn. If planted in spring, this should be done in March after the last frost or in April at the latest. However, it must be borne in mind that planting in spring over the summer months means more work for the hobby gardener. In order for the shrubs planted in the ground in spring to grow well, they must be watered regularly in dry and warm summers. These newly planted bushes usually do not forgive a longer drought, as can be the case with older plants.

Conclusion

Finding the right times to plant bushes and shrubs is not that difficult. All frost-sensitive and early-flowering shrubs should only be sold in containers, i.e. in one Cultivated in pots or planted in spring in the garden bed with a root ball that still has soil on it become. Frost-resistant shrubs can also be planted in autumn before the first frost. Even the bare-root bushes that are commercially available should only be planted in autumn, otherwise they could be damaged if stored over the winter for a long time. You should always make sure that these plants are hardy. Therefore, you should also refrain from buying bare-rooted plants in spring or autumn for non-hardy shrubs. Container goods can be bought all year round, as the roots of the plants can develop well here. The plants with root balls can also be used all year round, since the roots also receive more protection from the existing soil.

Tips for container plants

Container plants, i.e. shrubs that have been grown in a planter and grow in it, can in principle be planted all year round. The prerequisite is, of course, that the ground is not frozen, i.e. frost-free.

General

In principle, you can almost always plant. It is important to note that the shrub or shrubs do not dry out. In hot weather it is usually not sufficient to water only once a day. It is best to mulch and water at least morning and evening. If you have to move larger shrubs in summer, for example when moving, then protective measures must be taken. It is advisable to spray the leaves or needles with water. Shading nets can also accelerate and facilitate growth at the new location. It is also important that the root ball is as large as possible and that the transplanting is well prepared.

planting

A sufficiently large planting hole is important. It should be about twice the size of the plant ball. The bottom of the planting hole should be loosened up with a digging fork. If the shrub is in the planting hole, soil is filled up. You use the excavation, but mix in enough mature compost. In this way, the shrub gets an initial fertilization in the spring. The top edge of the root ball should be level with the surrounding garden soil. The loose soil around the shrub should be gently trampled down. In this way, the roots have direct contact with the soil and can start rooting immediately. Don't forget to water enough!

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