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29
Jan 2022
Stray Gardener: Create a legacy and plant a tree
The Stray Gardener is written by Rudding Park’s Kitchen Gardener, Fiona Slight. Fiona has worked in horticulture for more than 30 years in the UK and abroad, and specialises in growing fruit and vegetables for fine dining. This month, Fiona explains how and why you should plant a tree.
One of the most satisfying things to do in life is to plant a tree, not only is it contributing to helping the environment by providing habitats for wildlife, reducing carbon dioxide in the environment and enhancing your local area. They are great for your mental health, spending time with trees is a very relaxing and mindful thing to do and you are creating a legacy for generations of people for years to come.
But how do you get started? First of all, it is important you research your trees well and choose one that is suitable for your site. My heart always sinks when I see a tree such as the majestic monkey puzzle in a very small front garden, knowing it will never achieve its full life span of a 1000 years as it will have to be taken down long before that to avoid damage to the building it is next to.
Trees are best planted from October to April in the cooler dormant period of the year. This also means you can buy a bare root tree which is cheaper and are only available at this time. You can plant container grown trees too with the advantage that these can be planted pretty much all year round, but it does mean a lot more watering to get them established.
Once you are ready to plant, you need to dig a hole at least three times as wide as the pot or root spread and the same depth. Container grown plants benefit from having the roots gently loosened to help them to get established more quickly. It is a good idea to thoroughly soak the roots in a bucket of water before planting, some people also add a special powder with a fungus called mycorrhizae which can help the roots to establish quicker.
The tree can then be placed in the hole making sure that the point where the roots meet the trunk is level with the surface of the soil. You can use your spade placed horizontally across the hole to check if you are not sure the level is right.
Fastening a tree tie to the stake for stability
Then, it is just a case of refilling the hole, firming well and making sure there are no air pockets around the roots that could cause the root to dry out before establishing. Make sure the stem stays upright as you do this.
You may need to add a tree guard or spiral if you think there is a chance that the stems could get nibbled. Very small trees shouldn’t need staking and will grow better without one. Larger trees that may be top heavy will probably need to be staked to support them until they get established, usually this takes around 2 years. The stake is best put in at a 45% angle and the tree tied with a rubber or jute tie which can be screwed or nailed to the stake to keep it in place. Don’t forget to check the stakes and ties regularly and loosen as the tree grows.
A staked Davidia involucrata tree
After that, water well if conditions are dry and then add a layer of mulch around the base of the tree, making sure not to mulch right up to the stem as they can get smothered.
If you know somewhere you could put a tree, why not have a go this weekend and start creating a legacy.
Happy planting!
Fiona’s 5 Top Tips for February
- This is the perfect time to start dividing and re-planting snowdrops and winter aconites once they have finished flowering.
- Trim back Ivy, Virginia creeper and other climbers that are starting to get too big before birds start nesting.
- If possible, Protect early flowering fruit trees such as Apricots from frost with fleece.
- Citrus trees can be top dressed with compost or re-potted if required.
- Start chitting seed potatoes
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