Plant juniper in a hole two to three times as wide as the root ball, with the top of the ball at grade, and space it for the mature width.
Space to the mature width, and set the root ball at grade
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| When | Spring or fall while you can water; containers any workable day | A midsummer drought you cannot soak |
| Hole | Two to three times as wide as the root ball, and no deeper | A tight, deep cup that holds water on the crown |
| Height | Top of the root ball level with the soil, or slightly high | Burying the flare |
| Spacing | The mature width on the tag — often 6 to 8 feet for mats, 12 to 24 feet for a red-cedar tree | Stacking plants for a quick hedge |
| Roots | Tease or slice a circling nursery mass | Dropping a potbound ball into the hole as-is |
Horizontal types are often planted too close. They knit into a thick pad with no air, then blight. [1] Know the mature spread before you dig. [2]
How far apart should you plant juniper?
Use the mature width, not the nursery pot. Many creeping mats want 6 to 8 feet. Eastern red cedar often wants 12 to 24 feet.
How to plant juniper
Work one hole at a time: confirm the habit, set the ball, space the plant, then water once.
- Confirm creeping, spreading, or upright on the tag so the spacing matches the outline. If the tag is only a cultivar name, match it on Types of Juniper.
- Choose full sun and ground that drains. Raise or drain a wet pocket before you dig.
- Dig a hole two to three times as wide as the root ball, and no deeper. [3]
- Slide the plant out. Loosen circling roots with your hands or a knife.
- Set the top of the root ball level with the soil, or slightly high if water sits after rain.
- Backfill. Do not pile soil on the ball. Soak to the depth of the root ball. Water at least twice a week for the first month if rain fails. After that, watering is on How to Grow Juniper.
How deep do I plant a juniper?
No deeper than the root ball. The top of the ball sits level with the soil, or a little high.
A tree-form eastern red cedar often needs 12 to 24 feet. [4]
What fails at planting
A tight, deep clay hole holds water on the crown. Soil piled on the root ball smothers the flare. Mats stacked a foot apart rot in the middle. A midsummer plant with no water fails before the first dry spell.
If you buried the flare or stacked the mats, reset the young plant now — do not wait for blight in the middle.
FAQ
Can I start juniper from seed?
Named kinds are sold as plants. Seed is slow and will not copy a cultivar. Buy a nursery plant for the first one.
Can I take cuttings instead of planting a pot?
Heel cuttings can root in winter with hormone and a draining mix, but it is slow. A container plant is the usual first step.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] University of Georgia Extension -
https://fieldreport.caes.uga.edu/publications/C956/junipers/ - [2] Clemson HGIC -
https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/juniper/ - [3] Proven Winners -
https://www.provenwinners.com/learn/how-plant/juniper - [4] NC State Extension Gardener -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/juniperus-virginiana/
This note is part of Juniperus Guides.
More planting notes by plant are gathered in Planting Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors