How to plant shrubs in Phoenix, AZ starts with choosing the correct shrub for the correct location. We recommend installing desert adaptable shrubs mostly because they are less prone to disease and fungus since they are native to our desert climate. Here is a great resource for choosing desert adaptable plants and trees:
The other very important thing to remember is the location of the plant. Knowing the mature size of the shrub is helpful so you do not place a shrub that may grow into a sidewalk pathway or grow to close to your house or your house’s foundation.
After you choose the plant and location, you will need a shovel, some mulch or soil additive, and although its not required, we also recommend some sort of root stimulant like B1 or Super Thrive (link to purchase online: http://a.co/iyJSeBb). You will also want to make certain the area is getting water before you install any plant material since in the beginning it will require daily watering until the shrub is established.
Next you will want to dig the hole slightly larger and deeper than the size of bucket for extra additives. You will want to flood the hole with water to make certain the deep part that is exposed to the roots is also moist for less shock to the plant. This also is not a bad time to add some B1 or Super Thrive along with some mulch or soil mixture.
Make sure the shrub will be level with the ground after adding the additives and then you can pull the shrub from the plastic bucket and install it into the ground filling it with both mulch mix and native soil. You can then water it extra heavy with a hose and add more B1 or Super Thrive to help the roots get established. Keep in mind that all shrubs usually go into a little shock before they start to really growing in the beginning.
You will then want to cover the dirt in the granite to match the rest of the yard and more importantly increase the water run time to these new plants (even if they are on the same station as existing) to run daily for at least an hour (with 2 gallon per hour emitters). You will want to do this for at least 30 days minimum and we usually keep the water heavy for 60-90 days to make sure we see heavy growth in the beginning. Keep in mind that most shrubs go through some slight shock when you first plant them and may need time to adapt. So don’t think the shrub is dead right away if it starts to droop or shrivel up. Just increase the water and keep an eye on the shrub for another few weeks before giving up on it. Chances are, the next shrub will do the same thing and the quicker you can get the shrub through this period the quicker it will start to grow and get established.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment below or contact AMS Landscaping online at www.azlawns.com.
