CONSERVATION & ECOLOGY
Windfalls provide a good food source for a variety of wildlife © Mabel Amber, Pixabay
This involves burying the roots with soil. Containerised trees are available all year round and come in a pot with compost or soil protecting the roots. Because the roots are well protected, they can be stored like this in a sheltered position until ready for planting, which can be at any time of year. There are disadvantages and advantages to bare rooted or containerised trees. While containerised have the flexibility of being able to be planted at any time of year, they are twice as expensive as bare rooted alternatives. Trees in pots may also be root bound, making it more difficult for them to establish when planted. They also require more watering than bare rooted trees, especially if planted during the spring and summer.
Stakes and guards
All fruit trees will require staking for some amount of time after planting. The type of stake required, and also the guards you use to protect the tree, will depend upon what else you will use the orchard space for. If you intend to graze the orchard, heavy duty stakes and guards will have to be used as most grazing animals (including deer) will destroy an orchard of young fruit trees within minutes if the trees are not protected. If no grazing is expected, a rabbit guard and small stake will be sufficient whilst the tree establishes itself.
Planting the trees
The tree should not have its roots exposed (either from the plastic wrapping or planting
Plant UK species wherever possible © Mabel Amber, Pixabay
pot) until the very last minute before they go into the hole. Tree roots are damaged within seconds of being exposed to the air as they dry out so quickly.
A hole should be dug which is deep enough so that the soil level will be reach the same point on the tree as where it was at in the nursery (or in the pot). You will be able to see the old soil line on the tree itself and should be a few centimetres below the graft line (where the rootstock and variety have been joined). The stake should be driven into the ground before the tree goes in so that the tree roots may be arranged around the stake, minimising damage to the roots. It should project at least 30cm out of the ground, vertically, and should sit around 15cm away from the tree trunk. Once the tree has been placed in the
hole, the soil should be carefully placed in whilst the tree is kept vertical. You can jiggle the tree slightly whilst the soil is going in to help distribute the soil around the roots. Finally, the tree should be loosely fixed with a flexible tie to the stake, above the graft line. The tree should be able to sway slightly in the wind as this strengthens the trunk.
Aftercare
Once the trees are planted, there are a few things that need to be done to look after them.
Weeds Newly planted fruit trees suffer if they have
to compete for water and nutrients from weeds and grasses growing around their roots. It is therefore advisable to remove all vegetation from the base of the tree and suppress further growth for the first few years after planting. This may be done by covering the area with mulch, such as grass clippings, to smother any future growth. Weed suppressing membranes and mats can also be used. Finally, a non-residual herbicide could be used. Of all the options, mulching is preferable.
Watering
Trees will need to be well watered straight after planting. A lot of water should be poured on to ensure the water reaches the trees roots. Water may be required during the summer months for a few years after planting, depending on how hot the weather gets.
Formative pruning
For information on formative pruning young trees, see side bar.
Sources of advice
Some extremely comprehensive free guides on fruit tree planting are available from Natural England
www.naturalengland.org.uk
Advice and guidance is available from The Wildlife
Trustswww.wildlifetrusts.org
We recommend sourcing trees from local suppliers where possible, ensuring that, to limit the risk of disease, no imported trees are used.
Not just apples, but cherries © beValorous, Pixabay
... Pears © Natasha G, Pixabay
... and plums © beValorous, Pixabay PC June/July 2019 125
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