Page 33 - Simply Vegetables Autumn 2020

Tree and Bush Planting
I have mentioned tree planting before in Simply Vegetables and make no apology for raising the topic again. We need to plant more trees, even the government
has worked that out; but we cannot rely on them to deliver the goods. We cannot plant millions ourselves but we can plant some and help to make a start and difference.
When you talk to many people about tree planting they say they only have a small garden and no room for a tree, yet nowadays there are a very good range of dwarf rootstocks for apples, pears, plums, cherries and damsons. These will produce mature trees no more than 2.5 metres and in some cases a lot less, even small gardens could fit in a tree of this size. In good garden design a few taller plants are required to add interest to the design and create an interesting
vista. Most fruit trees will have early flowers followed by the fruits later in the year. So growing a tree or two will give you colour in your garden, fruit to eat, helping to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere, reducing food miles and the satisfaction of growing some of your own food. If you have a larger garden you could have a mini orchard and be nearly self- sufficient in fruit for most of the year.
October is the start of the bare root planting season which goes through to March, you still have time to order your plants from a good fruit nursery and still have a good choice at present. Later in the season there will be less choice. Some garden centres sell bare root trees so they may be worth checking, buy bare root as they are quite a bit cheaper
than container grown and just as good.
Once you have looked at the catalogues or online and sent off your order you can start
to prepare the planting site. Clear any debris or rubbish especially builders waste if
you are in a new house and
garden. Remove any weeds
especially perennial ones by digging out or using glyphosate. Dig over the area by single or double digging adding as much organic matter as possible and leave to settle. Check the site is not waterlogged in the winter, if
so dig out a soakaway nearby to drain the
Apple blossom at home
3 types of tree tie
water away from the trees. Do not dig the planting holes until ready for planting as frost can get into them or fill with water.
When purchasing your trees you will need stakes and ties unless you already have them, use good quality stakes of approx. 75mm dia as they will need to last at least 2
to 3 years and longer with the very dwarf rootstocks. Also get good quality tree ties, do not use string or wire as these damage the bark letting in disease. A 25mm wide plastic or rubber strap and spacer
is required, the spacer fits between the tree and stake to stop them rubbing and damaging the bark.
Whether you add any soil ameliorants when planting depends on the quality of your topsoil, if you have good fertile soil no ameliorants are really required although you could add some if you wish as the trees are going to be there for thirty years or more.
Soil ameliorants – these are usually added to the backfill when planting the tree and can include compost, fertilisers, mycorrhizae, seaweed extracts, biochar and others.
There are pro’s and con’s to using them and different “experts” have differing opinions, some say it will improve establishment and the plant grow away quicker others that by improving the immediate soil around the roots they do not grow out of the planting
pit which results in poor establishment.
At present the evidence does not appear
to be conclusive and I feel some form of
soil amelioration especially on poor soils
is worthwhile. Ensure the ameliorant is thoroughly mixed with the backfill.
If fertiliser is used, it should be a slow
Apple ‘Falstaff’ columnar type
release type, either organic or inorganic with a balanced ratio of NPK, examples include Vitax Q4, Osmocote or Blood, Fish and Bone if organic.
Mycorrhizae – these are species of fungi that form a symbiotic relationship with the plants roots and improve the uptake of
water and certain nutrients. It is normally purchased as a powder that can either be sprinkled into the planting hole and backfill or mixed with water to produce a paste and the roots dipped into this before planting. Using a paste is easier with smaller plants like shrubs, roses, whips, transplants and cell grown trees. With larger trees it is difficult to dip them so sprinkling into the hole is easier.
I have used mycorrhizae on two occasions and have been very impressed with the results, plants established quicker and
Growing a tree or two will give you colour in your garden
Simply Vegetables 33