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Space in a border or lawn to plant; a container-grown shrub; a spade; a fork; organic matter; a cane; a pair of secateurs; a watering can.
Optional: mulch.
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Place the shrub where you want to plant it. Mark a circle on the ground around it with your spade. Make the hole about twice the size of the top of the plant. If planting in grass, remove the top few inches of turf. Dig out the hole to a bit more than the height of the pot and put the soil to one side and mix some organic matter with the soil. Use your fork to loosen the soil in the sides and bottom of the hole.
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Make sure that the compost around the plant is moist, give it a good soak if it is dry. Place one hand on top of the compost around the base of the shrub. Ease the plant out of the container with your other hand. Put the plant in the middle of the hole.
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Lay a cane across the top of the hole to check the planting level is the same as before. The cane should rest on top of the compost around the plant. If you need to adjust the depth of the hole, add or remove soil to get the right planting height.
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If the plant roots have formed a tight looking ball, loosen them lightly with your fingers. Place the shrub in the hole. Then fill in with soil from the pile you dug out. Do this in stages. Firm the soil around the plant roots as you go to prevent air pockets from forming.
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When you have filled to the top, carefully firm the soil around the shrub. You can use your hands or feet for this. Finally, lightly fork over the area around the new shrub. If planting in grass, keep the space around the shrub grass-free, so that the plant can get established without competing with the grass.
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Prune any damaged, long and straggly stems or dead wood using your secateurs. Give your new shrub a good watering (gently to avoid splashing soil or compost away from the roots). Then apply a layer of mulch around it. Make this about 7cm thick and at least as wide as the planting hole. Clear the mulch away from the stem of the plant when you have finished.
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