Planting a Tree.
The act of planting a tree deserves some serious thought, love and care. If you think about how long the tree could potentially live for and how much it can provide you over the course of its life, you’ll realise that it deserves a proper transition from the pot it was raised in to its new home in the garden. Just like when you move house, you want a smooth, stress-free transition that allows you to depart your old home swiftly, with the least amount of fuss possible, and settle into your new place quickly and easily. Trees, and particularly their roots, need to be prepared properly before planting, which is an easy task if it is accomplished using two sets of hands.
Here’s how to prepare your tree for the move and avoid any teething issues in its new home:
– | Give the tree a good watering the day before planting to reduce stress on the day. Add some seaweed extract to the water if you have it handy. |
– | While it is still in its pot, place the tree in the preferred location in the yard. Ask yourself some important questions. How tall and wide will it grow? Will it get enough sun to flower and fruit here? Where will it cast its shade in years to come? Are there any utilities, solid rock or major tree roots down to 40 centimetres (16 inches) that could potentially get in its way? |
– | If you’re confident with the chosen plant and its placement, dig a cylindrical hole that is a little deeper than the pot in which the tree is currently residing. A long-handled spade is the best tool for the job. |
– | This could be the moment you realise what a heavy clay soil is like to dig through! If so, fill the hole with water. If it takes half a day to drain, you’ll have to mound up the planting area with a better-draining soil mix. |
– | Place the tree on a small tarp next to the hole, and remove it from its pot. The tarp keeps things tidy and catches any potting mix you tease off the root ball. Cut off any circulating or pot-bound roots, then gently scrape and tease out the finer roots with a small hand fork or your bare hands. |
– | Place the tree in the hole, and use premium potting mix or garden soil to ensure that the tree is planted at the same level in the ground as it was in the pot. Don’t place compost, manure or any organic matter in the bottom of the hole, as the decomposition of this material in the deep-root zone is actually detrimental to the tree. A sandy soil or premium potting mix with good drainage and aeration is the best substrate for around the root zone. |
– | Pack the soil around the root ball using gloved hands, and ensure there is a snug fit by removing air pockets. Then water the tree in well – imagine you’re filling the pot it came in about five times over. |
– | Your organic matter, fertiliser and mulch can go on top where it naturally occurs, along with the organisms that will decompose the material into available nutrients. Be sure to keep the base mulched about 50 centimetres (20 inches) out from the trunk to avoid weed and grass competition with the tree roots. |
– | Lastly, it’s time to consult with the weather gods – you want to ask that the next few weeks aren’t too scorching hot and that you get at least a few days of good rain. Depending on what results, ensure that your tree gets a solid watering every few days for a fortnight, and, following that, just big weekly waters. If its leaves are wilting, that’s a sure sign of a thirsty plant, so adjust your watering or irrigation frequency to suit. |
Are you planting your tree into a large pot? Ensure that the pot’s base has adequate holes for drainage. If not, get out the power tools and give the pot some more holes. The pot should always sit on feet or plastic packers to allow water to drain freely. Cover all the holes with a piece of flyscreen or shade cloth so your premium potting mix doesn’t escape, and get your planting started.
Now that your tree is in its new home, enjoy all that it has to offer. Remember to help manage its growth by providing nutrients, controlling pests and pruning it when necessary.