Falling leaves signal chance to move trees
Sunday November 08 2009
THIS is the start of the traditional tree-planting time for deciduous trees. As soon as trees and shrubs lose their leaves, they can be lifted and planted in new positions. When trees and shrubs are lifted, a large part of the root system is left behind, and the soil falls off the remainder. If this is done during the time when they have foliage, the leaves are deprived of water and the tree can wilt and die.
Roots grow during winter and by the time new leaves appear in spring, the new roots will be able to take up water from the soil. In recent decades, many of the trees and shrubs sold in garden centres are potted and this means there is no loss of roots. Effectively, trees and shrubs grown in pots can be planted at any time of year.
Plants planted from pots with the leaves on between the months of March and October still run a risk of drying out because the root-ball, at least initially, is restricted to the pot size and can only take up water from a restricted volume of soil. Pot-grown plants may need watering for several weeks or months until their roots grow out into the surrounding soil.
This schedule of watering can be avoided completely, or almost completely, by planting during October to March. Because watering is often neglected following summer planting, trees and shrubs from pots tend to establish much more successfully when planted in the traditional planting period.
Although bare-root trees and shrubs are not widely available, some can be got and they are always cheaper than pot-grown plants because of the extra work involved in potting, and the cost of the pots. Bare-root trees and shrubs are usually small plants, used for planting as hedges and shelter belts. Some trees and shrubs are provided as root-balled plants with a ball of soil held by sacking. Usually bigger than hedging plants, root-balled trees are also somewhat cheaper than pot-grown plants.
This is also the time to move trees and shrubs within the garden. If a tree or shrub has been planted in the wrong place, most kinds can be moved successfully. Some, such as eucalyptus, broom, birch and ceanothus, are not good movers and usually die.
In an exposed garden, it is best to wait until late winter or early spring to plant trees and shrubs because they can be damaged by winter gales. This is especially true of evergreens, the planting of which can be delayed until March or even early April. Prepare the soil for planting by removing weeds and loosening the soil in the area where the planting hole is to be dug. Do not plant into wet soil or areas where water lies for days at a time.
Sunday Independent
