TREE SELECTION & PLANTING
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.”
Selecting and planting trees for your site is one of life’s great pleasures. Just like planting your hedge, preparation is key.
“Start with the end in mind” – Remember trees grow, the tree you plant today will be a lot bigger in the future.
Spray off any grass before you start your tree planting and dig your hole deeper & wider than the pot/root ball and break up the soil. Position the tree in the hole to make sure it isn’t too deep and place the stake beside the tree. Remove the tree and drive stake into solid ground making sure it’s well secure. Plant your tree so the top of the pot/ball is just below or level with the soil. When planting bareroot trees plant to the same depth as they were previously planted using the soil mark on the stem as a guide Firm the soil in around the tree and secure with ties and strapping. Water thoroughly once planted.
WHAT TREES TO PLANT AND WHERE
When planting trees, it is very important to consider the overall height in time and the site where the trees are being planted.
Don’t plant trees too close to buildings due to root expansion. Also don’t plant trees too close together as they will grow into each other affecting light and growth for the future. If planting in wet land use trees such as alders and willows.
For exposed sites we recommend birch, oak, hawthorn, and limes, for coastal areas we recommend Sycamore, whitebeam, and hawthorn.
A useful tip: If unsure what to plant, look around your area and see what is growing well.
TREE SIZING
Garden Centre trees in 5 & 10 litre pots are measured by height (e.g.,150-200cms)
Larger root ball and container grown trees are measured by girth. This is the circumference of the trunk measured in centimetres one metre from the ground. 10-12cm, 12-14cms etc. Please see below picture to give you a better understanding.
| 6-8 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 2.4-2.75m (8-9′) |
| 10-12 | 3.5 | 1.4 | 2.75-3m (9-10′) |
| 12-14 | 4.1 | 1.6 | 3-3.5m (10-12′) |
| 14-16 | 4.8 | 1.9 | 3.5-4.25m (12-14′) |
| 16-18 | 5.4 | 2.1 | 4.25-5m (14-16′) |
| 18-20 | 6.0 | 2.4 | 5m+ (16’+) |
| 20-25 | 7.2 | 2.8 | 4-6m (13-19′) |
| 25-30 | 8.8 | 3.5 | 5-6m (16-19′) |
| 30-35 | 10.3 | 4.1 | 6-7m (19-23′) |
| 35-40 | 11.9 | 4.7 | 6-8m (19-26′ |
