Planting A Tree

Autumn is the very best time to plant a tree. The soil is still warm but the weather is rainy, so the roots can really get stuck in. If you do not mind keeping it watered in dry weather you can plant ant time you like, even in summer.

1) When you are planting a tree in the lawn, remove the turf from a circle about 4 feet across. Skim it off with a spade to a depth of about 1.5 inches, that way you get rid of the roots too so you wont have a weed problem later.

2) Fork the ground over to loosen it up. If you find any big stones or roots, now is the time to take them out.

3) Dig the planting hole. Before putting the tree in, hammer a shortstake in at an angle of about 45 degrees. The reason for doing this first is that you dont want to drive the stake through the trees roots.

4) Tip plenty of tree planting compost down the hole and mix it into the soil with a fork.

5) Stand the tree in the hole and check that the top of the rootball is level with the surrounding soil. Mix some more tree planting compost with the soil you took out of the hole, shovel it back round the roots and firm gently. Then use a proper tree tie to secure the tree to the stake - not the stake to the tree!!! Years ago they used long stakes for trees and they just fell over as soon as the stake rotted but now the idea is to tie trees low down leaving the top free to bend in the wind so the tree learns to grow a decent root system.

6) The weeping purple osier (salix purpurea “Pendula”) is a lovely tree to plant near water but unlike the usual weeping willow it wont grow too big or be a nuisance in a smaller garden. it will be a couple of years before you can sit under this one.