Tree Care & Management

Guides to the habits and requirements of trees suitable for planting  can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below :

Guides are provided below on how tree sizes are defined in the nursery, the forms in which they are supplied along with a planting guide provided by the Tree Council. Further advice is given by following the links below:

Trees supplied in small sizes (whips and transplants) will generally have root systems in proportion to the overall size of the plants; however for nurseries to create plants that are capable of being easily transported and planted, larger tree stock and those supplied containerised  will generally have root systems that are much smaller than would have been the case had they been grown undisturbed in the open ground.
In the nursery they will have been carefully fed and watered to ensure they develop well and remain healthy; they will  also usually have been given support and generally protected from the elements. However, when planted out into the harsher conditions of the outside world, their small root sytem will struggle to support the tree until they manage to grow out into the surrounding soil suffiently to allow the plant to become self-sufficient and self-supporting. It is for these reasons that it is important that the newly-planted tree is watered regularly until it is established, ensuring that the soil around it does not dry out. It is also important that fragile new roots are not disturbed and broken as a result of movement of the tree, for which reason staking is likely to be required for all but the smallest of newly-planted trees.

• Trees are generally best planted in their dormant season between November and March. The best results are often being obtained by planting in early winter, while the soil retains some warmth. However, container grown trees can be planted at anytime, although when planted in the summer months they are likely to require regular watering .
• A broad, relatively shallow planting pit is preferable to a deep, steep-side one: it should be between two and three times the diameter of the container or root ball and make it slightly deeper by lightly forking over soil in the bottom of the planting pit. 
• In most Herefordshire soils a circular hole will be satisfactory but if planting in heavy soils a square hole is to be preferred as this tends to encourage roots to break out into the surrounding soil rather than growing round and round within a circular hole. It is not generally necessary to add compost or other fertilizing material to the hole as this may simply encourage the roots to remain within the confines of he planting pit.
• If the root ball shows any sign of having become 'root-bound' within a container it is helpful to tease out some of the tree's fibrous roots.
• Offer up the tree into the hole and check the level by placing a garden cane or stake across the hole - add or remove soil as necessary to ensure that the final soil level is be the same as when the young tree was growing in the nursery: Add more soil if it is too low and dig down if too high. It is important that the tree is neither buried nor that it is too shallow .
• Ensuring that the tree is upright, fill the hole with the excavated soil and  firm it down with your heel when you reach the top.
•  A mulch of well-rotted compost or wood-chip may be applied to aid establishment and to suppress weed growth. It should be applied to the surface of the planting pit to a diameter of at least 1m in diameter and to a depth of 75mm. Do not pile mulch  up against the tree stem as this can result in damage to the bark.
• Trees must be adequately watered during the summer months for at least the first two years after planting as the tree will have had only a limited chance to put down new roots into the surrounding area from which to absorb water. Creating a ‘dish’ of soil around the base of the tree will help prevent water from running off away from the tree.
• It may be helpful for tree establishment to use one of the mychorrhizal formulations (so-called 'friendly fungi) when planting. For bare-rooted trees this can be applied by dipping the roots in a liquid or gel formulation containing the mychorrizal material; for containerised and pot-grown trees, tablets or powdered formulations can be mixed into the growing medium.

PROTECTION FROM RABBITS AND SMALL BEASTS:
In most situations some form of protection against rabbits and voles will be necessary.  Plastic spiral guards are inexpensive and easily available but they can result in a litter problem, especially as they are are often left on too long when they can become brittle and begin to break up.  Guards that are claimed to be biodegradable are available, although some take a while to degrade and still create litter in the meantime. In practice it is best that the guards be removed and properly disposed of as soon as the young trees are sufficiently established.

Rabbit guards can also suppress or distort growth low down on the stem of young plants, which can be a particular problem when trying to establish a new hedge  as you tend to end up with the bushy growth at the top and little cover below, essentially a sort of a 'hedge on stilts'.  Although likely to be more costly, where it is feasible to do so it may be better to use wire fencing mesh (chicken wire), either to provide protection for individual trees or to fence off the planting area.

PROTECTION FROM LARGER CREATURES:
Protecting trees from larger animals tends to be costly, with suitable guards or enclosures often costing more than the trees.  Weldmesh tree guards can be effective to protect trees from human predators, but they have to be very well secured and high enough to prevent the tops of trees being snapped off.  These may also be suitable to protect from sheep, deer and perhaps from ponies (if tall enough). However, they would tend to be pushed over by larger beasts such as cattle, rubbing against them. For cattle and for horses, substantial enclosures comprising three or four posts with a rail and fencing wire is likely to be necessary, although a system marketed as 'Cactus Tree Guards' are said to be effective. These consist of galvanised steel mesh with outward-pointing spikes that discourage livestock from rubbing against them.

MOWER DAMAGE:
Perhaps the commonest cause of damage to young trees is the careless use of mowing equipment, which can cause wounds that can severely damage or even kill a young tree. Impact by self-propelled lawn-mowers can cause significant damage that can lead to infection and decay, but hand-held strimmers all too frequently result in such damage being capable of stripping the bark off a young tree  in an instant. Proprietary strimmer guards can prevent such damage, but an alternative is to lay down and maintain a weed-suppressant mulch, such as composted wood chip. If laid to a sufficient depth (75-100mm) and spread to at least 0.5m around the tree it should not only tend to suppress weeds and thus obviate the need for strimming close to the tree but will also improve soil condition and aid tree establishment.