Evergreen trees and shrubs are popular for landscape designs. They offer many benefits, including improved air quality, outdoor privacy, natural shade, and they’re aesthetically pleasing. They’re also low maintenance and can thrive in most climates – making these trees and shrubs ideal choices for homeowners.
However, if you’re considering planting evergreens, you must know the steps to take when planting to ensure your evergreen shrubs and trees thrive in their environment and how to care for them after planting.
Planting Evergreens 101
Evergreens are simple trees and shrubs that require little care. However, there are precautions you should take when planting to ensure that your tree or shrub thrives. Read on to learn what you should know about planting evergreens.
Ideal Planting Location
Like many trees and shrubs, evergreens have ideal locations that help them grow and thrive. Furthermore, evergreens must be adequately seated to help prevent damage and disease. Since the weather here can be harsh and windy during the winter, you’ll also need to find planting locations that are at least semi-protected against winds.
Evergreen trees and shrubs are better suited for full sun in the summer and shade in the winter, where they may struggle to retain moisture. Therefore, these shrubs and trees are generally best suited for the north side of your property.
Watering and Mulching
Mulching evergreen shrubs and trees will help them retain more water during the winter months, especially when the ground is frozen. Additionally, mulching allows you to mix in organic matter, like compost, to provide your evergreens with extra nutrients. Avoid planting during the winter, and always water deeply in the fall before the ground surrounding your evergreens begins to freeze.
Fertilizing
Most evergreens don’t require fertilizing. However, fertilizing may help evergreens that show slower growth or appear unhealthy. Additionally, fertilizing provides additional opportunities for you to provide your trees and shrubs with extra nutrients, especially if you’re planting during the fall.
Caring for Your Evergreens
One of the best benefits of planting evergreen shrubs and trees on your property is that they provide beauty and privacy without many of the maintenance drawbacks of many other trees and shrubs. However, you will still need to prune your evergreens on occasion to remove any disease, damaged, or dead branches.
When pruning, you should prune during the spring. Pruning evergreens during the summer and early fall may damage or kill new branch growth if the new branches haven’t had time to harden before the winter season.
Designing Your Landscape With Evergreens
Evergreen trees and shrubs are perfect for homeowners, even those without a green thumb. They’re easy to care for with minimal, as necessary pruning. However, there are precautions that you should take when planting, including finding an ideal location, mulching, watering, and potentially fertilizing.
Are you interested in planting evergreen trees or shrubs in your yard? Then, let us take care of the hard part! Contact us today to learn more.