How to Plant a Flowering Almond Shrub
Choose a planting area with six or more hours of sunshine., Give flowering almonds plenty of room to grow., Try to plant your flowering shrubs as soon as possible after purchasing them., Plant container, B&B, and bare-rooting flowering shrubs in the...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose a planting area with six or more hours of sunshine.
Flowering almonds will bloom more profusely when planted in full sunlight.
However, they can also be planted in areas with partial shade and at least four hours of direct sunlight each day.
Do not plant them in areas where water tends to puddle or where the soil drains slowly as flowering almonds commonly develop root rot in slow-draining soil.
Flowering Almond shrubs are fairly easy to grow in nearly any type of soil but they must be planted properly in order to thrive.
They do well in shrub borders and naturalized areas and can be planted as informal hedges, specimen plants or accent plants. -
Step 2: Give flowering almonds plenty of room to grow.
There should be at least 1 foot of space between them and any other shrubs or structures after they reach their mature width.
Dwarf flowering almonds can grow to a width of about 4 feet so they will need to be planted at least 3 feet away from the house and other shrubs.
Full-sized flowering almonds can grow to 15 feet wide so they should be planted at least 8 feet away from shrubs and buildings. , If they cannot be planted the same day, water them as often as necessary to keep the roots consistently moist until they can be planted in the ground. , This is the best time to plant container, balled and burlapped (B&B) and bare-root flowering shrubs.
They can also be planted during the spring, summer or fall.Bare-root flowering shrubs are leafless, in a dormant state, and do not have any soil on their roots.
They are generally smaller than plants sold in containers but are usually 40-70% less expensive than container plants.Planting at this time allows the shrub to devote its energy to spreading its roots, rather than growing stems and leaves, resulting in a better-established shrub in the spring. , Even though flowering almonds will grow in any type of soil, including clay or sandy soil, adding organic matter before planting will improve the soil texture.
It will also add nutrients to the soil, making it easier for the shrub to get established after planting.Well-aged cow manure, compost, sphagnum peat moss, composted pine bark and leaf mold are all good organic matter you can use or combine together to supply the plants with a wide variety of nutrients and textures.
Spread a 2-inch depth of organic matter over the entire planting area and mix it into the soil thoroughly to a depth of 8 to 10 inches with a rototiller.
Do not just add the organic matter to the backfill soil as this will encourage the flowering almond to keep its roots within the planting hole rather than growing out into the surrounding soil, resulting in a shallow-rooted flowering almond that will not thrive.
The soil pH can be acidic, neutral or alkaline., It should not be deeper than the height of the root mass.Planting it deeper than it was growing previously will likely result in root rot or cankers.
Use a dirt shovel to dig the hole. , Balled and burlapped (B&B) shrubs should be set in the planting hole with the burlap or plastic covering left on the roots.If the root mass is covered in natural burlap, remove the wire or twine holding the burlap closed at the top.
Pull the burlap off the top and sides of the root mass but leave it in the bottom of the hole.
It will decompose naturally over time.
Pulling it all the way off the roots could cause damage.
If the root mass is packaged in a plastic wrap, remove the wire or twine at the top and gently pull the plastic out from under the root mass after setting the shrub in the hole.
The plastic will not decompose and will keep the roots from growing into the soil. , Pour 1 to 2 gallons (3.8 to
7.6 L) of water over the soil to settle it around the roots. , Then water the shrub with 2 to 3 gallons (7.6 to
11.4 L) of water to finish settling the soil and give the flowering almond a generous drink. , This will help the supplemental water to soak into the root mass instead of the surrounding soil.Spread a 2- to 3-inch depth of organic mulch over the soil around the shrub but keep it a few inches away from the stems to help prevent stem cankers. , You will need to adjust this amount if it rains, or when winter arrives and the ground freezes. , You can also poke a hole in the bottom of a 5 gallon (18.9 L) bucket and set it next to the shrub so the water drains from the hole into the soil directly above the root mass.
You can than just fill the bucket halfway each time the shrub needs water.
The root mass must be kept slightly moist at all times but not soaking wet., If the soil is soaking wet, wait a few more days to water the shrub.
If soil is dry, water it immediately.
Maintain uniformly moist soil during the following growing season as well.
Flowering almonds require lightly moist soil until they become established in the soil, which usually takes about one year.
The shrub will not show obvious signs of over- or under-watering during the fall immediately after planting; however, in the following spring and summer, the leaves will wilt, curl, turn brown or yellow and drop from the branches if the shrub is not getting enough water.If the shrub is being watered too much, new leaves will be yellow or pale green, new stems will wilt and the leaves that stay green may become brittle. -
Step 3: Try to plant your flowering shrubs as soon as possible after purchasing them.
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Step 4: Plant container
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Step 5: and bare-rooting flowering shrubs in the fall right after the first frost.
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Step 6: Use loamy soil that is high in organic matter.
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Step 7: Dig a planting hole that is twice the width of the flowering almond root mass.
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Step 8: Remove the shrub from the container and set it in the hole.
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Step 9: Fill the hole halfway with backfill soil.
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Step 10: Finish filling the hole.
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Step 11: Create a 3-inch high ridge of dirt around the outer edge of the root mass.
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Step 12: Give the flowering almond 2 to 3 gallons (7.6 to 11.4 L) of water two to three times a week.
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Step 13: Water the tree with a gallon jug or watering can.
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Step 14: Check the root mass by poking a finger into the center.
Detailed Guide
Flowering almonds will bloom more profusely when planted in full sunlight.
However, they can also be planted in areas with partial shade and at least four hours of direct sunlight each day.
Do not plant them in areas where water tends to puddle or where the soil drains slowly as flowering almonds commonly develop root rot in slow-draining soil.
Flowering Almond shrubs are fairly easy to grow in nearly any type of soil but they must be planted properly in order to thrive.
They do well in shrub borders and naturalized areas and can be planted as informal hedges, specimen plants or accent plants.
There should be at least 1 foot of space between them and any other shrubs or structures after they reach their mature width.
Dwarf flowering almonds can grow to a width of about 4 feet so they will need to be planted at least 3 feet away from the house and other shrubs.
Full-sized flowering almonds can grow to 15 feet wide so they should be planted at least 8 feet away from shrubs and buildings. , If they cannot be planted the same day, water them as often as necessary to keep the roots consistently moist until they can be planted in the ground. , This is the best time to plant container, balled and burlapped (B&B) and bare-root flowering shrubs.
They can also be planted during the spring, summer or fall.Bare-root flowering shrubs are leafless, in a dormant state, and do not have any soil on their roots.
They are generally smaller than plants sold in containers but are usually 40-70% less expensive than container plants.Planting at this time allows the shrub to devote its energy to spreading its roots, rather than growing stems and leaves, resulting in a better-established shrub in the spring. , Even though flowering almonds will grow in any type of soil, including clay or sandy soil, adding organic matter before planting will improve the soil texture.
It will also add nutrients to the soil, making it easier for the shrub to get established after planting.Well-aged cow manure, compost, sphagnum peat moss, composted pine bark and leaf mold are all good organic matter you can use or combine together to supply the plants with a wide variety of nutrients and textures.
Spread a 2-inch depth of organic matter over the entire planting area and mix it into the soil thoroughly to a depth of 8 to 10 inches with a rototiller.
Do not just add the organic matter to the backfill soil as this will encourage the flowering almond to keep its roots within the planting hole rather than growing out into the surrounding soil, resulting in a shallow-rooted flowering almond that will not thrive.
The soil pH can be acidic, neutral or alkaline., It should not be deeper than the height of the root mass.Planting it deeper than it was growing previously will likely result in root rot or cankers.
Use a dirt shovel to dig the hole. , Balled and burlapped (B&B) shrubs should be set in the planting hole with the burlap or plastic covering left on the roots.If the root mass is covered in natural burlap, remove the wire or twine holding the burlap closed at the top.
Pull the burlap off the top and sides of the root mass but leave it in the bottom of the hole.
It will decompose naturally over time.
Pulling it all the way off the roots could cause damage.
If the root mass is packaged in a plastic wrap, remove the wire or twine at the top and gently pull the plastic out from under the root mass after setting the shrub in the hole.
The plastic will not decompose and will keep the roots from growing into the soil. , Pour 1 to 2 gallons (3.8 to
7.6 L) of water over the soil to settle it around the roots. , Then water the shrub with 2 to 3 gallons (7.6 to
11.4 L) of water to finish settling the soil and give the flowering almond a generous drink. , This will help the supplemental water to soak into the root mass instead of the surrounding soil.Spread a 2- to 3-inch depth of organic mulch over the soil around the shrub but keep it a few inches away from the stems to help prevent stem cankers. , You will need to adjust this amount if it rains, or when winter arrives and the ground freezes. , You can also poke a hole in the bottom of a 5 gallon (18.9 L) bucket and set it next to the shrub so the water drains from the hole into the soil directly above the root mass.
You can than just fill the bucket halfway each time the shrub needs water.
The root mass must be kept slightly moist at all times but not soaking wet., If the soil is soaking wet, wait a few more days to water the shrub.
If soil is dry, water it immediately.
Maintain uniformly moist soil during the following growing season as well.
Flowering almonds require lightly moist soil until they become established in the soil, which usually takes about one year.
The shrub will not show obvious signs of over- or under-watering during the fall immediately after planting; however, in the following spring and summer, the leaves will wilt, curl, turn brown or yellow and drop from the branches if the shrub is not getting enough water.If the shrub is being watered too much, new leaves will be yellow or pale green, new stems will wilt and the leaves that stay green may become brittle.
About the Author
Donald Morris
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in hobbies and beyond.
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