How to Care for a Dwarf Plant

Container gardens or compact gardens with dwarf shrubs and plants can make a big impact with proper maintenance.

Step 1: Purchase plants Select the dwarf plants and shrubs you want from your local garden store or nursery. Consider the maximum height and width of each plant.
TIP: Use specially formulated acid shrub fertilizer for dwarf shrubs.
Step 2: Transfer plants Transfer plants to containers at least 16 inches in diameter or plant them directly into the ground. Water and fertilize as needed.
Step 3: Visualize plant Walk around your plant or shrub and envision how you want it to look. Once you have your vision, the branches you need to remove will become apparent.
Step 4: Prune branches Cut branches with pruning shears to limit growth. Never cut away more than 30 percent of your plant at a time.
TIP: Pruning back to a healthy bud is called heading. Trimming away an entire shoot or branch is termed thinning.
Step 5: Protect your plants Protect your plants from cold weather. Many dwarf plants are hardy, meaning they can withstand the cold, but consider moving delicate ones inside for the winter.
FACT: A friend of the ancient Roman emperor Augustus is credited with inventing topiaries – sculpted trees and shrubs – in the first century C.E.