Planting 
trees & aftercare

Planting, watering and pruning



We grow our trees in Australian Root Pouches which are thicker than most and made from a combination of recycled materials and natural fibres. Instead of roots circling around the edge of a pot, the roots stop growing when they hit the side of the breathable cloth pot. This encourages new roots to be sent out which fill all the soil between the plant and the fabric pot. This creates a much larger root system – and a bigger root-system means stronger trees! 




Our pouches last for approx 5/6 years above ground. Given the above, in all likelihood, you will need to cut the root pouch away from the root ball before planting, taking care not to damage the roots when doing so. The recognised staking method for the size of the container grown trees we sell (up to 3m height/ 3-6 cm diameter) is shown below
When to Plant?
All of our stock is grown in Root Pouches, so whilst  bare root/root balled stock is  normally planted between November  and April, our stock can be  moved and planted at any time of the year (except in periods of extreme cold) provided always,  that an adequate means of watering is available/maintained.
Planting  kit (see diagram below)
We supply   both lightweight planting kits for domestic/garden settings and more robust kits landscape planting and or where  Deer  protection is needed.     
Points to note when planting

01

Water trees well before planting.

02

 Cut root pouch away before planting.

03

 Add approx 10/15g slow release tree fertilizer (15:25:6) to the root ball or as a top dressing.

04

Trees should be monitored regularly for signs of disease and lack of water.

05

Trees should remained staked for approx 3 years subject to local weather conditions and the strength/growth of the tree. 
Diagram of how to plant an established tree

Newly planted trees: watering guidance


Watering your trees is extremely important over the first two growing seasons and is key to successful establishment. It is very easy to forget this, there can be a tendency to ‘plant and forget’ on a cold wet winter’s day!  You also need to think about the watering system you are going to use before planting

When & How often?

A newly planted tree should be watered in when planted, at the point of bud burst in the spring and should be watered continually throughout the spring and summer until the leaves have fallen in autumn (for deciduous trees).

 

Water for the first 2 summers after planting, after this the tree should be able to access water from the surrounding soil.

 

You may need to water native semi-evergreens e.g., Hornbeam/Beech a little during the winter months if it is particularly dry.

 

Remember, even after it has rained a tree may still need watering! Once a tree has a canopy/is in full leaf, rainfall does not always  reach the root ball, the tree may also be shaded by others.

 


How much?

This will depend upon the size of the root ball and how dry/hot it is. We only sell trees in 12L/22L or 56L pouches and the following is a rough guide in the Summer:

 

12L/22L - half a bucket a day (5 litres)

56L - a bucket day (10L

 

The aim is to keep the soil moist rather than dry or saturated, dry soil will not absorb water readily. Saturated soil is not ideal for certain species and may encourage root rot etc.  You will also find that less is needed in certain periods e. g Spring or late Summer 


How?



·      Use a soil moisture meter, if possible, they are readily available and cheap.

·      Try to mimic rainfall by using rose attachments on watering cans, sprinklers, or drippers/soaker hoses.

·      Water the base of the tree, over the entirety of the root ball to encourage even root development.

 

Watering kits/systems

There are many ways to make watering easier and more effective. Suitability depends on a range of factors e.g., the size of tree, its whereabouts, accessibility to water, cost etc. We are happy to discuss what best suits your requirements. We can supply/source the following:

 

·      Watering tubes or funnels – these are cheap and facilitate the use of watering cans or hoses to access the root ball.

·      Watering rings – perforated tubing buried around the root ball which also facilitate the use of watering cans or hoses.

·      Irrigation barriers – basically a circle of hard plastic half – half buried around the root ball which form a mini reservoir around the base of the tree.

·      Tree hydration bags – a bag that sits around the tree filled with water for slow release – suitable for standards 12 cm girth + often used where trees cannot be accessed regularly.

·      Soaker hoses – in concentric circles around the base of the tree and connected via an ordinary hose to a timer at the tap.

·      Dripper systems - attached to micro hoses which in turn are attached to plastic pipes and ultimately a timer at the tap as above.

 

 

Pruning and pruning catergories

Here is some  simple  pruning guidance relating to your new native trees/hedging.  A good source for more detailed guidance is the RHS website:


Most  native trees and shrubs will fall into RHS pruning group 1 (light pruning) which can take place in late winter as follows

  1. Always prune  to just above a bud facing in the direction growth is required using sharp and clean secateurs.
  2. Remove dead, diseased or damages branches
  3. Remove crossing or crowed branches and water shoots
  4. If looking to establish a tree like standard form remove the lower branches
  5. Specific guidance for particular native species we sell is as follows:


Alder: Late Autumn to mid winter

Box: Spring/summer

Dog Rose: Spring/summer

Holly: Spring/summer

Hornbeam: Late summer/autumn

Juniper: Spring

Lime: Summer

Viburnum: Spring

Wild Cherry/ Bird Cherry: Summer

Willow: Spring








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