so that large air pockets or cavities are not created.
• The use of a mycorrhizal fungal dip on the roots is thought to speed up establishment of the sapling.
• The use of well rotted compost and manure also aids the development of the sapling by enhancing the beneficial microbial populations around the root system.
• The use of slow release fertiliser guarantees a ready supply of nutrients in the initial phase of establishment.
8) Staking
Over time, opinions change and what was once wrong is now right and vice versa; staking is a case in point, one minute stakes should be high, the next they should be low. It’s a bit like eggs, first they are good for you, then they are not, then they are good for you, oh no they’re not!
I’m not sure what the current stance on eggs is (personally I’m a crème egg fan), but I do know that short stakes are very de rigueur at the moment, as they allow the saplings trunk to bend with the wind, creating a rocking action that is supposed to encourage stronger rooting. It sounds feasible but, whether it is true or not, I couldn't say. Having said that,
the size of the stake is ultimately governed by the size of the sapling it will be supporting.
For very large trees a stake is unlikely to be sufficient. In such a case guy lines are employed to support the tree, just like guy ropes on a tent.
The important thing to remember is the mantra “wind, stake, tree”. The stake should always be positioned on the prevailing wind side, so that the tree leans away from the stake in windy conditions. Putting the stake on the wrong side will risk the tree rubbing against the top of the stake, which could damage the tree, possibly causing it to snap in severe winds. Perhaps all tree damage isn’t caused by adolescents after all?
9) Aftercare
Once you have planted your tree, the next thing to do is keep it alive. The primary objective is to ensure it doesn’t dry out and die of thirst in its first year, so some watering may be required, depending on the unpredictable weather you are experiencing. Key indicators of a thirsty tree are leaf wilt and premature leaf fall.
Other essential jobs include periodic removal of grass and weeds from around the base of the sapling, as they will compete for water and nutrients, which can drastically reduce the saplings rate of growth and establishment.
I once read some research that found keeping a vegetation free area of 1-2 square metres around the base of the tree can have significant affects on the rate of the saplings establishment, compared to a tree that has grass and weeds at its base. But, alas, I can’t remember the author or title of the research paper; perhaps it’s something you can put in to a search engine in a bored moment, or when you’ve run out of places to browse on the internet.
The two best control methods for the unwanted vegetation are a strimmer, or weed killer but, be careful, don’t strip the bark with the strimmer, and don’t get any herbicide on the sapling.
Alternatively, you could go completely tree hugging mad and take the green route by
57
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132