Tree planting tips

Deciduous trees are rarely grown in containers but usually cultivated in open ground. Once their leaves fall, they rest during the winter. This is the best time to plant so they will be in good shape when the growing period begins in spring.

● For the best results plant bare-root trees between June and August.

 

Always buy conifers with a wrapped root ball or one that is growing in a container. Plant them as you would a bare-root tree, following these tips.

● Do not put an upright stake in the hole before planting the tree.

● Soak the root ball in a bucket of water for about 15 minutes before planting.

● When the root ball is positioned in the hole, make sure that the neck of the plant is level with the surface.

● Once planted, water well, with at least 10 litres of water.

● Keep the tree in place by attaching it to one or several stakes positioned away from the roots around the planting hole.

 

When planting, a tree should be positioned in the soil as it was where it was grown, with the neck (the zone between the roots and the

trunk, often visible as a watermark on the tree) at soil level. To check, lay the shaft of a rake across the hole. The ‘neck’ of the plant

should be at the level of the shaft.

 

When you finish planting and the soil has been replaced, there should be some soil left over. Use this to create a watering basin, a small ridge around the tree on the surface of the soil. Try to give it a diameter that corresponds to the size of the root ball so that the water pools over the root hairs. The ridge will help retain water in the correct area when you water the tree.