Shrubs are particularly vulnerable to damage if growth has started. Lift plants from underneath the rootball with the appropriate equipment. Container grown shrubs should be handled by the container and never by the tops of the plant. If plants must be held or stored on the landscape site, it is best to place them in a location protected from the wind and sun. Do not let the roots freeze or dry out during this time.
Supplemental irrigation is critical for the nursery stock during the growing season.
A current trend in landscape design is to plant shrubs in large beds. When this design concept is followed, preparation of the entire plant bed area and not just individual holes is recommended. In many urban areas, gardeners will find that the soils are compacted and sometimes poorly drained. In these situations one should create a good rootzone by amending the beds with a sandy-loam topsoil and aerifying the soil as deep as possible. The addition of organic matter provides little or no advantage to the planting hole in good soils.