How to Plant a Tree
Trees are ideal for providing height and a sense of maturity to a planting scheme. In a small garden you would be best to choose one that offers more than one season of interest such as striking spring blossom, attractive summer foliage, fiery autumn colour or berries as well as colourful winter bark or stems.
The secret to success when planting a tree is to make sure that the tree is well anchored; with shorter trees careful firming may be sufficient, but for trees over 1.5m (5ft) use a short stake to keep the rootball in place. After planting, it's also worth covering the surface of the soil with a mulch to prevent competition from weeds and help retain moisture around the roots of the tree.
Six tips to success
1. Dig a large hole
You will need to dig a hole at least three times as wide and twice as deep at the tree's container. Mix the soil you've removed with well-rotted organic matter, such as Westland Farmyard Manure, and leave to one side. If your soil is heavy, break up the sides and bottom of the hole by gently pricking the smeared surfaces with a fork - this will allow the roots to grow into the surrounding soil.
2. Check the depth
Deciduous trees over 1.5m tall at planting time will establish more quickly if their roots are held firm. The best way to ensure this is to hammer in a 1.2m stake after digging the planting hole. Position the stake slightly off-centre for bare-rooted trees. Hammer the stake in vertically, so that about 60cm of it will be above the ground after planting is complete. For container-grown trees you will need to hammer the stake at a 45 degree-angle so you do not damage the rootball. Do not hammer the stake through the rootball. The stake should be positioned on the windward side of the tree.
3. Provide support
The tree needs to be planted at the same depth as it was in the pot. Check the hole is the right depth by laying a cane or piece of straight timber across the hole. If the tree is standing too high you'll need to remove some of the soil in the bottom of the hole, or if its too low then top it up a bit.
4. Soak the roots
Give your tree a thorough soaking by standing it in a bowl of water for a couple of hours before you plant. Lay the tree on its side and gently slide it out of its pot. Carefully tease out any roots that are circling around the bottom or sides of the pot so they grow away from the rootball and into the surrounding soil. Position the tree in the centre of the hole next to the stake (if used). With bare-rooted trees, carefully manoeuvre the tree's roots around the stake and spread out them out across the bottom of the hole.
5. Fill the hole
Start to fill in the sides of the hole with the soil mixture, gently firming it down with your heel. Shake the trunk of bare-rooted trees before firming the first layer to make sure soil trickles down in between the roots. Regularly check the tree is upright. Once the hole has been filled, water really well once again.
6. Mulch with compost
After planting, attach the top of the stake nearest the trunk to the tree using a special adjustable tree tie with a protective spacer. This will hold the tree securely while preventing it from rubbing against the stake in windy weather.Then cover the surface of the soil with a generous layer of mulch such as Westland Mini Chipped Bark to help prevent weeds and reduce the amount of water loss from the soil. Finally, pour yourself a nice drink – you deserve it!
When should I plant?
Container-grown trees can be planted at any time of the year, except when the soil is frozen or waterlogged. Autumn, however, is the ideal time for deciduous trees because the soil is still warm enough to encourage some root growth before the onset of winter. This helps the tree establish quickly so that is more able to withstand any hot, dry spells the following summer. Container-grown conifers and other evergreens can also be planted in autumn but in exposed gardens they are best planted in April (May in colder areas) so they can become established before the onset of winter. In these areas it's also worth putting up a protective barrier of windbreak netting after planting until the evergreens are established . Trees sold without any soil on their roots, known as bare-rooted, should be planted during the dormant season only (November to March).
