Article by Guillermo Summers

Of recent times, the popularity of this pint-sized horticultural woody plant has been growing in leaps and bounds. People who wish to be in touch with their inner side and Mother Nature prefer taking care of shrubs rather than other types of plants because generally cuter and easier to transfer to different locations.

There are a huge variety of plants that can be classified as shrubs or trees, depending on their growing conditions. So don’t be confused when a plant shop owner offers you something that you initially thought was a tree. On the other hand, minute-sized plants like lavender and periwinkle are frequently referred to as subshrubs. Shrubs can also be deciduous or evergreen.

Glossary for Shrub ClubsBush – a plant that is also referred to as shrub in some casesShrubbery – A part of a garden or park where shrubs are cultivated; if the shrubs are clipped as topiary, these plants would tend to grow dense foliage and small leafy branches that are bunched togetherShrubland – used to describe any natural plant community where shubs reign in abundance

Shrub PruningPruning is required when taking care of shrubs or plants whenever you plan to transfer them to another area. If you don’t prune your shrubs before digging them out, they’ll lose their roots and die.

When you subject shrubs to renewal pruning, results are more often than not favorable and hard cutting them back to their stool-like origins may even lead to longer new stems known as canes.

Selective pruning however is best for other shrubs if you wish to reveal more of the plants’ structure and character.

Always consult an expert to know the best way to prune your shrubs.

Shrub Buying TipsThere are many places that you can buy shrubs – nurseries, malls and even grocery shops. But the truly best place to purchase shrubs are from your local nurseries as they’re often the ones with the best stock of shrubs in the best of conditions. Nurseries are also often the ones who’ll be able to better assist you if it’s your first time to take care of shrubs.

Ball and Burlap Plants – Evergreen shrubs are often sold wrapped in burlap and their roots contained in a ball of soil; the way they’re packaged keeps the plant from drying out.

Don’t life a ball and burlap plant by its trunk or main stem because the weight of the soil ball could either cause some damage to the shrub’s roots or worse, cause the two to break apart. Always lift it by its wrapped base when you’ll bring it to the cashier counter.

The best choice of shrubs to buy are younger and well-rooted plants. Older ones tend to have spiral roots and will not grow as well as the younger plants when finally transferred to their permanent setting. For that matter, avoid purchasing any shrub that has spent too long cooped up in room temperature as these plants are already dessicated or damaged from lack of sunlight.

Choose shrubs that are perfectly suited to your town’s weather so that they’ll last longer and be easier to take care of.

If you plan to buy bare root shrubs, always select the completely dormant ones for easier transportation. Furthermore, smaller bare root shrubs are naturally easier to transplant than the larger ones and less expensive as well.