Country life
How do you plant a tree ?
Most people know that the dirty end goes in the ground , but research shows that one in four new trees die before they become established .
This represents a huge waste of time , effort and money which could easily be avoided and shows there ’ s much more to successful planting than putting a tree in a hole . If you ’ re thinking of planting a tree then following a few guidelines should help tip the balance in favour of survival . To begin with , you need to be clear about what the objective is . If looking to create a screen , hedge or visual distraction your choice of species will be different to that if you wish to plant a specimen tree . Looking for interesting features such as autumn colour , coloured or patterned bark , colourful twigs , flowers , or fruit , deciduous or evergreen will help focus your options . The next thing is to find out the site conditions . Choosing a species which will thrive , or at least tolerate , the site conditions and constraints is crucial to establishing a healthy tree . Factors to consider include : levels of exposure , especially salt-laden coastal winds ; the soil pH , soil type and the ground conditions ( eg clay holds nutrients and moisture but restricts oxygen and therefore rooting depth , sand allows greater root depth but dries out more quickly ); levels of direct sunlight and ambient light ; and any other site-specific issues such as periodic water-logging . When you get to the nursery there ’ s often a choice in how the trees are supplied to you . Price differences generally reflect the amount of time and effort involved in each method of production . When it comes to actually planting the tree , it requires more than just a hole . The planting pit should be no deeper than the root length but should be 1.5 times the radius . The ground can be broken up below and the sides roughened as this will help roots penetrate the unbroken soil and help support the tree . The tree should not be planted any deeper than the root-flare ( the point at which the trunk suddenly widens and becomes roots ). The soil should generally not be amended as this would encourage the roots
to remain in the planting pit rather than extending outwards ; if your chosen species suits the site then all its requirements will be met by the existing soil . The roots need to be held firmly while they grow outwards into the surrounding ground . Traditionally this means staking the tree , but there are other methods . After planting , the tree will require maintenance until the root system has developed and can hold itself upright and supply itself with sufficient water . Ensuring the roots have enough water shouldn ’ t be a problem in the winter but it may require additional watering during the first summer or two . The soil should be damp to the touch , but not glistening , and
water should penetrate to the layers where the roots exist . Adding a layer of mulch can help retain water in the soil and suppress weed growth , which would otherwise compete for water and nutrients . Roots stop growing when soil temperatures drop below 5 degrees Celsius , so planting in the autumn while the soil is still warm gives them an opportunity to grow into the surrounding soil before the leaves place heavy demands on them – but there ’ s no reason not to plant at other times , so long as the soil is kept wet . To borrow another quote , the best time to plant a tree is 100 years ago . The next best time is now . For more from ARB Advice contact Ben Riches on 07544 079296 , email ben @ arbadvice . co . uk or visit www . arbadvice . co . uk www . visitilife . com 81