Planting bare root whips and hedging

Ifyoucan’tplantyourtreesstraightaway,theycanbekeptforashortperiodintheiroriginalpackaginginacool,darkplace.Thesacksshouldbestoreduprightandlooselypackedtoensuretherootsarenotdamagedwithin.Donotopenthemortherootswilldryout.Ifthereisnotasuitableplacetostorethemforthisperiod,orifitwillbeslightlylongerbeforetheycanbeplantedthenitisbesttoheelthemin.Taketheplantsoutofthesacksandplacetheminashallowtrenchwiththerootscoveredlooselybysoil.Ifbundlesaretied,don’tuntiethematthisstage.Usefinesoil,ifpossible,tocovertherootssoittricklesinbetweentoprotectthem.Iftheweatherisdrythenwaterthetrenchtokeepthesoilmoist.Barerootplantscanplantedbynotchorpitplantingmethods,bothofwhichisdescribedhere.Regardlessofwhichmethodischosenforplanting,thereareafewgoldenrulestofollow:

• Keeptherootsofbarerootplantsmoistandcoveredatalltimes.Keeptheplantsintheirpackaging,orintheshallowtrench,untilthemomentyouarereadyforplanting.

• Ideally,don’tdigholesortrenchesuntilthedayofplantingastheycouldfillwithwater.

• Don’tsoakordiptherootsintowaterbeforeyouplant(unlessyouareusingamycorrhizalorotherrootdip.

• Waterthetreeimmediatelyafterplanting,ideallywithabucketfulpertree.• Ensuretheholes,ornotches,arebigenoughtotaketherootssonorootsare

bentorbroken.• Abarerootplantshouldbeplantedtothesamedepthfromwhichitcame–

seenbythesoilmarkontherootcollar.• Treadthesoilinaroundtheplantafterplantingtofirmlysecuretheplantand

anchortheroots.Youcancheckthefirmnessbypullinggentlyonthestem.Iftheplantloosens,itisnotplantedfirmlyenough.Allplantsshouldbecheckedagainwithinthefirstmonthofplanting,andfirmedinagainifnecessary.

Notch Planting

Notchplantingisgenerallyaneasierandquickermethodofplantingandisgenerallysuitableforyoungbareroottreesonmostsites.Stockwithverywidespreadrootsmayneedtobepitplanted(seebelow).Thebasicmethodofnotchplantingisverysimple.

• Insertthebladeofaheavy,straightgardenspadeintotheground,usingabackwardsandforwardsmovement,openthenotchup.

• Withallbutthesmallestplants,itisworthcuttingasecondnotchtomakea‘T’plan.Thisbreaksupalargervolumeofsoilbelowthesurface,givingspacetospreadtheroots.

• Slidetherootssidewaysintothenotchandpullupslightlytospreadtherootsandensuretheyarepointingdownwards.

• Treadfirmlyaroundthestemtoclosethenotchandremoveanyairpockets.

Pit Planting

Pitplantingisgenerallymoretimeconsumingalthoughisoftenconsideredtobeamorethoroughwayofplantingbecausethesoilisremoved,brokenupandreplacedaroundtheroots.WhereayoungplanthasrootswhicharetoobushyandspreadingtofitintoaTnotch,itisworthusingthepitplantingmethod.Theproceduretofollowis:

• Ifplantinginturf,removeasquareofturffirst(thiscanbelaidtoonesideandreplacedinvertedoverthetoporbrokenupandplacedinthebottomofthepit).

• Digasquarepitlargeenoughtotakethetreerootsorrootball,puttingthesoiltooneside,discardinganylargestones.

• Placetheplantintothepit,spreadingtherootsout.Ensurethesoilcollarisatthecorrectheightandadjustifnecessary,thenbackfillwiththesoil.Shakethetreegentlyasthesoilgoesintoensureittricklesthroughtherootsandanyairpocketsarefilled.Finishlevelwiththesurroundingsoilandgentlyfirmitin.

• Waterthetreeifpossible.Treeprotectionshouldbeappliedsecurelyafterplantingifrequired.Forfurtheradvice,pleasecontactuson01404812229.www.bowhayestrees.co.uk