Last Updated on February 19, 2024 by Kimberly Crawford
Shrubs growing in containers add a feeling of maturity to a deck, courtyard, or patio.
Larger specimens provide height and structure and can also help create privacy by acting as a living screen.
Evergreen shrubs offer interest in winter when herbaceous perennials, tender bedding, and patio plants have faded.
Some varieties will also provide long-lasting summer interest in the form of vibrant leaves or abundant blooms.
All can be used either as a focal point or as part of a backdrop for pots of seasonal bulbs and flowers.
If you don’t have the right soil conditions to grow acid-loving plants such as camellias, pieris, or rhododendrons, growing them in pots of ericaceous compost is the perfect solution.
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You Will Need:
- Large pot with drainage holes (must accommodate the shrub’s root ball, plus have 8–10cm (3–4in) space all round).
- Layer of drainage material
- Loam-based potting compost.
- Slow-release fertilizer granules.
- Decorative pebbles.
- Shrub
![Potted Shrubs: How To Plant A Shrub In Pots (6 Steps) 1 Growing Hebe in Pots](https://images.farmfoodfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/growing-hebe-in-pots.jpg)
MORE PLANT OPTIONS
- Smart feature Clip Box (Buxus sempervirens) into a ball for a smart feature on a shady terrace.
- Mediterranean feel French lavender (Lavandula pedunculata subsp. pedunculata) is a long-flowering, aromatic shrub for full sun, with violet blooms through summer.
- Long-flowering display Hydrangea petiolaris ‘Preziosa’ is a narrow-leaved mophead hydrangea, with dark stems and red-tinted foliage. It flowers in summer and autumn; pink darkening to burgundy.
- Stylishly delicate Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) has delicately cut leaves in colors from deep purple to pale yellow, green, or amber. Shelter from wind.
- Fragrant evergreen Mexican orange (Choisya x dewitteana ‘Aztec Pearl’) is a compact evergreen with scented white flowers in early summer, often repeating.
Step By Step
1.Provide drainage
![Potted Shrubs: How To Plant A Shrub In Pots (6 Steps) 2 Potted Shrubs Step 1](https://images.farmfoodfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/potted-shrubs-step-1.jpg)
Cover the holes in the base of the pot with a few crocks or stone chippings.
This prevents compost being lost through the holes or blocking them, which will hinder drainage and cause water-logging.
2. Add some compost
![Potted Shrubs: How To Plant A Shrub In Pots (6 Steps) 3 Potted Shrubs Step 2](https://images.farmfoodfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/potted-shrubs-step-2.jpg)
Pour in sufficient compost to allow the shrub to sit at the right height in the pot.
Leave at least 2½cm (1in) between the top of the compost and the rim for watering, more if you are adding a gravel mulch.
3. Examine the roots
![Potted Shrubs: How To Plant A Shrub In Pots (6 Steps) 4 Potted Shrubs Step 3](https://images.farmfoodfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/potted-shrubs-step-3.jpg)
Plunge-water the plant, remove from the pot and check the roots.
Do not disturb the fine roots of well-grown shrubs, but gently loosen any thick roots wound around the base.
4. Plant the shrub centrally
![Potted Shrubs: How To Plant A Shrub In Pots (6 Steps) 5 Potted Shrubs Step 4](https://images.farmfoodfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/potted-shrubs-step-4.jpg)
Mix some slow-release fertilizer into the compost and set the shrub in the middle of the pot. Back-fill with compost to the level of its original pot. Firm lightly.
5. Water the planted pot
![Potted Shrubs: How To Plant A Shrub In Pots (6 Steps) 6 Potted Shrubs Step 5](https://images.farmfoodfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/potted-shrubs-step-5.jpg)
Gently water the pot to settle the compost around the roots. To avoid displacing the soil, pour the water over a piece of broken pot set on the surface.
6. Mulch with gravel
![Potted Shrubs: How To Plant A Shrub In Pots (6 Steps) 7 Potted Shrubs Step 6](https://images.farmfoodfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/potted-shrubs-step-6.jpg)
Scatter a layer of gravel on top of the compost to help keep down weeds.
Fine chipped bark is a good choice for acid-loving, woodland species.
![Potted Shrubs: How To Plant A Shrub In Pots (6 Steps) 8 Potted Shrubs: How to plant a shrub in pots (6 steps) #containergarden #potted #gardeningtips #farmfoodfamily](https://images.farmfoodfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/potted-shrubs-how-to-plant-a-shrub-in-pots.png)