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• Choosing New Trees
• Dangerous Trees
• Living with Trees
• Dutch Elm Disease
• Looking after New Trees
• Planting New Trees
• Trees & subsidence

PLANTING YOUR NEW TREES

Deciduous trees are best planted during the dormant season, usually from November to February, when the weather is reasonably mild and moist. Evergreen trees are best planted at the end of the dormant season and the beginning of the growing season, usually March - May. Plant your trees as soon as possible after they arrive. Advice on good weather for planting. Advice on planting.

• Dig the planting pit deeper and wider than the root spread, down to free-draining soil.
• Break up the bottom and sides of the planting pit.
• Plant the tree at the same depth as it was in the nursery, so that the soil mark on the stem is level with the soil.
• Spread the roots out in the planting pit.
• Spread backfill of soil and compost around roots and firm gently.
• Water well after planting.
• Use a tree shelter or guard if there are rabbits in or near your garden.
• In windy gardens, or for larger trees, use a stake - drive it into the ground before planting the tree, so that the stake is 1/3 height of the tree; attach the tree to the stake with a spacer between to stop the tree rubbing on the stake.
• Spread mulch in a 5-7.5 cm (2-3") layer for at least 1-1.2 m (3-4') in diameter around the tree to keep weeds down and to keep the soil moist.