Trees and shrubs planted in pots can be grown at any time of the year. But there are a few basic rules to follow. These apply whether you’re planting a large tree like a flowering cherry, or a smaller tree which will grow much bigger such as a eucalyptus. 

Fortunately, whichever size or type of tree you’re planting the principles are always the same.

How to plant a pot grown tree

1 – Thoroughly pre-water the root ball. 

2 – Leave the plant to soak for ten minutes. 

3 – Dig the hole as deep as the pot the tree was supplied in. 

4 – Remove the pot from the tree gently teasing out the roots if required. 

5 – Place the tree in the hole taking time to ensure its angle and position is correct. 

6 – Refill the hole with the soil you originally removed. 

7 – Firm the soil around the tree with the heel of your boot. 

8 – Water again.

You can see every step explained in our video below:

Water generously and leave to soak 

Make sure the plant is thoroughly watered. A great way to do this is to fully submerge the pot into a bucket or barrel of water. Leave it in the water until all the air bubbles have finished coming up through the pot. 

Leave for another 10 minutes to allow the water to really soak into the root ball. While the plant is soaking you can prepare the hole in which it will be placed.

Ensure the hole is deep

Make sure the hole is deep enough for the pot to go in - the plant needs to be at the same height in the ground as it was in the pot. In other words, the hole should be as deep as the pot it arrived in is tall.

A pros tip here is to take a piece of cane and use it to gauge the height of the root ball before you put the plant in the hole you’ve dug.

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Gently remove the plant from the pot

The next step is to remove the pot from the root ball. Don’t plant the tree while it is still in the pot.

Gently ease the pot away from the root ball and discard it. Then, if necessary, tease the roots a little to untangle them if they appear to be knotted. This will encourage the roots to move outwards and spread once the tree has been planted.

Plant the tree

Once done, place the tree into the hole you’ve prepared. At this point it’s a good idea to stand back and check how the tree looks. Is it at the correct angle? Is it facing the way you want it to? Now is the time to make any adjustments if you need to do so.

Fill in the hole

Once you’re happy with the position of the tree it’s time to fill in the hole. Make sure you use the same soil which came out of the hole when you dug it earlier.

Many gardeners will enrich the hole with compost and fertiliser but a school of thought now is that by using the same soil which originally came out of the hole the tree roots will be encouraged to spread further and faster.

This is because they will be looking for nutrients rather than not spreading because you’ve already added the nutrients they need in the hole.

Firm the soil

Don’t forget to firm in the soil around the base of the tree with your heel. Once the tree is firmly in situ give it another really good water. Even if you’re planting during the wetter months of the year you will need to water your new tree to make sure it doesn’t dry out.

Water again

By watering the tree immediately after planting you are soaking the soil and making it come into contact with the roots. By continuing to water the tree in the following weeks you’ll be encouraging the tree to take up all the nutrients in the ground. 

Once you've completed all the steps it's time to add some mulch. Learn more here: How to mulch an ornamental tree or shrub.

All the above information applies equally to garden shrubs.

See our range of ornamental trees and lots of shrubs that we have all ready to be picked and packed for delivery right to your door.

Read more: How to plant a bare root tree