Technical
stock size to plant for quick establishment - whips, half standards, standards or large root ball. It would seem that one of the most cost effective and successful methods is planting young stock material (whips) 30-90cm in height. They are quick and easy to plant and tend to have a better establishment rate. If you wish to create a hedge which is
really dense and bushy from the ground upwards, it is advisable to plant young, small plants. Within two to three years you will have a good hedge, especially if you have prepared the ground well and used feeds, manure and/or bio stimulants. However, sometimes you may need to see a more instant result using larger containerised plants.
Containerised plants have only been in commercial existence since the mid 1970s. Prior to that, most stock was bare root, which was traditionally only ever planted during the winter months (November -March). However, today, with so much more user friendly accessories available to aid planting when excavating, staking, feeding and watering, the job of hedge and tree planting has been made much easier and more flexible. Also, the array of machinery now on
offer to aid planting and cultivation is immense; rotavators, trenchers and small diggers are relative cheap and, in most cases, may be hired. We have also seen the introduction of tree spades that are able to remove and replant large trees. Always source material from reliable nurseries and ensure it is true to cultivar/species and in good health. In recent years, a lot of imported nursery stock has been blighted with disease; the recent ash die back disease being a prime example. This has affected the supply of many trees in the UK in recent months, with nurseries having to dispose and burn their stocks to prevent its spread.
Getting your plants ready
Ensure you are ready for your plantsm as they deteriorate if left in their packing too long. If you are not able to plant them immediately, ensure you have an area of cultivated soil in a sheltered site prepared in advance. Do this by digging a trench about 50cm (20 inches) deep and cover the area with polythene to keep it dry and prevent it from freezing. When the plants arrive, unwrap them - any bare-rooted ones should be soaked for up to two hours in water. Bed the plants into the prepared trench and
cover the roots with soil, which should be watered if dry. The plants can remain in this state until you are able to plant into their final place. Any pot grown or containerised plants should be watered, as required, and then kept in a sheltered position until planted.
In many cases, people tend to choose the quickest method and, quite often, end up planting the whip at the back of their spade which, on large planting jobs, has been the norm. It does work, but you may get more plant losses using this method.
Preparing the Ground
Understanding the type of ground conditions is very important. The success of any crop is down to the soil type and the condition of the soil on site. Soils have different properties. Most consist of three key components - clay, silt and sand - with the soil type classified by the total percentage of these materials. The soil triangle will help you identify your soil type.
The sides of the soil texture triangle
are scaled for the percentages of sand, silt, and clay. Clay percentages are read from left to right across the triangle. Silt is read from the upper right to lower left. Sand from lower right towards the upper
Choose native species and British growers for best results and to minimise the risk of disease
“Planting trees and hedges is about leaving a lasting legacy for future generations to enjoy and benefit from”
DECEMBER/JANUARY 2013 PC 115
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