Forsythia: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
When and how to plant forsythia?
Prefer planting your forsythia in autumn or spring, when the ground is neither frozen nor waterlogged. For a bare-root plant, choose mild weather during dormancy and prevent the roots from drying before planting. A container-grown shrub can be planted at other times, but needs closer attention in hot, dry weather.
Choose a sunny or lightly shaded position with well-drained soil. Sun generally supports more flowers than shade. Check the variety's mature size: many forsythias reach about two metres tall and wide, while some remain more compact. Allow enough room for a specimen shrub to develop its natural shape.
Moisten the rootball before removing the pot. Dig a hole wider than the roots without making it unnecessarily deep. Set the shrub at its previous planting depth, with the root collar at ground level. Spread bare roots without bending them back, refill with the excavated soil and firm gently. Water to settle the soil against the roots.
Add organic mulch while keeping the stem bases clear. During establishment, check moisture and water at the base when needed without keeping the soil saturated. Let the young shrub develop: hard pruning at planting is unnecessary. Remove only damaged shoots when necessary.
When does forsythia flower?
How to prune forsythia after flowering?
