Planting Ruscus
Choose a shadier area. Ruscus actually thrives in shade, so it's not necessary to look for a sunny area like you would with other plants. Ruscus thrives in lower sun exposure, so it can be grown under a tree, near your home, or in another shady area.
Find well-drained soil. Ruscus thrives in well-drained soil. To test soil's drainage, make a hole about 12 inches (30 cm) to 18 inches (46 cm) inches across the 12 inches (30 cm) to 18 inches (46 cm) deep in the ground. Fill the hole with water and wait 10 minutes. If you soil has good drainage, the water should drain in 10 minutes or less.
Plant your ruscus. Purchase ruscus in a pot or similar container at a local greenhouse. Dig a hole in the ground two to three times the diameter of the ruscus's root ball and exactly as deep as the root ball. Then, remove the ruscus from the pot and place the ruscus into the hole. Fill the hole halfway up with soil and then use your hands to push down on the soil, gently packing it firmly to reduce air bubbles. Then, fill the hole the rest of the way up with soil.
Nurturing Your Plants
Add organic material to the soil. Ruscus usually doesn't need any encouragement to grow, but organic material can encourage growth. Work compost, sawdust, or manure into the soil surrounding your ruscus plant. Add a 1 inch (2.5 cm) to 2 inches (5.1 cm) layer of organic material to the soil. Use a shovel, or your hands, to work the material 6 inches (15 cm) into the ground. Use gloves when working with organic material. You can purchase organic material online or at a local greenhouse or hardware store.
Provide a light dusting of fertilizer on occasion. Ruscus needs minimal care to thrive, but you can encourage growth with a light dusting of fertilizer on occasion. Stop by a local greenhouse and pick up an all-purpose fertilizer. Add it to the surrounding soil according the package directions. Instructions will vary, but most fertilizer is spread around the soil surrounding a plant. If you're uncomfortable using fertilizer, ruscus will usually grow without it. Fertilizer can speed up the growth of ruscus, but it is not necessary for the plant to thrive.
Thin your plants regularly. If you notice dead or brown leaves and branches on your ruscus plant, thin it to ground level. This will encourage healthy growth. To thin a shrub, use a pair of gardening pruners to snip off branches from the point they're attached to the shrub. Remove any dead branches you see all the way to ground level when thinning ruscus. Ruscus is a hardy plant. Thinning may not be necessary if branches appear healthy and are growing leaves without trouble.
Avoiding Common Mistakes
Keep ruscus away from small children. Ruscus is a safe plant, but it can be prickly. It's best to keep it away from small children, who can get scratched or otherwise hurt playing in ruscus.
Read safety instructions closely when working with fertilizers. If you do choose to work with fertilizers, review any safety instructions closely. Fertilizers should generally be handled with gloves and some may not be safe to use if you keep animals on your property.
Look into installing an irrigation system, if you live in a dry area. Ruscus does not require watering, as it is a drought resistant plant. If you live in a very dry area, however, consider having professionals install an irrigation system. Not only will ruscus benefit from irrigation, other plants may need to extra hydration to thrive.
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