Horticulture Tips
Tips for tree planting and flowers
Some Top Tree Planting Tips
Trees are good news. They are living things and, like all other living things, need tender loving care and attention if they are to survive and losses are to be minimised. These practical hints will help to ensure that the trees you plant will flourish and give pleasure.
Planting
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| Insert stake if required. Remove any wrapping or container from the tree, but for root-balled or container-grown trees do not disturb the soil around the roots. Remove any broken or damaged twigs and roots. |
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| Soak the roots well before planting. |
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| Check the depth of the hole so that the union between the root and the stem is at finished soil level. Adjust if necessary. |
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| In the case of bare-rooted trees, space the roots out carefully and enlarge the hole if necessary to avoid bending any roots. |
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| Shake the tree gently up and down, so that the soil filters though and around the roots and firm the soil lightly with the foot. |
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| Continue filling and treading more firmly but do not over-firm in wet conditions. |
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| Fill all parts of the hole and tread firmly with the heal of the foot, leaving the firm soil slightly proud of the surrounding ground. |
| 8. |
| Secure tree to stake if provided and if dry, water well. |
| 9. |
| Apply mulch (Mulching helps retain moisture, controls temperature and prevents weed growth. Use bark or composted woody material, a mulch mat or cut up squares of carpet). |
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People Power
Whenever possible, if the planting site is public land get local residents to help in the planting and aftercare of the new trees. These trees are for their pleasure and trees tended by the local community, particularly its young people, are more truly appreciated and their chances of survival are raised.
Good Advice Saves Money
Some advice, particularly on species selection, should be available at local garden centres and nurseries.
A colour ‘Trees Love Care’ leaflet, giving more details of aftercare, is available from the Tree Council.
Useful books include a BCTV handbook ‘Trees Planting and Aftercare’ and the Forestry Commission handbooks ‘Urban Forestry Practice’ and ‘Forestry Practice’.
For detailed specific advice the Tree Advice Trust run a chargeable tree help line on 09065 161147.
For larger plantings, grants and advice may be available from the Forestry Commission, and from local authorities in some areas. |
Tree Preservation Orders
Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) are designed to achieve the following:
- protect trees that add to the character and appearance of an area,
- keep and protect the structure and variety of woodland areas, especially where they offer protection to natural wildlife habitats; and,
- make sure that new developments take into account the landscape setting.
They can apply to individual trees, groups of trees or woodlands. A TPO prohibits the cutting down, lopping and topping or wilful destruction of trees without prior permission.
Who can help? Your Planning Service: Divisional Planning Offices.
The Divisional Planning Office is responsible for putting TPOs in place. To find out if a tree is covered by a TPO contact your local Divisional Planning Office. If no TPO is in place, and you are concerned that a wood or tree is under threat, you can request in writing to your local Divisional Planning Service to consider applying a TPO. You should make it clear why you consider the tree or trees in question meet the TPO criteria. Further information is provided in a Planning Service leaflet Tree Preservation Orders, which you should read before taking action. To obtain a copy contact you Divisional Planning Office or go to www.planningni.gov.uk
Other Resources
www.woodsunderthreat.info is a website launched by the Woodland Trust and Ancient Tree Forum to address the issue of wood and trees under threat. On this site you can find out more about cases of ancient woods and trees under threat in the UK. There is also a campaigner’s guide to help you fight cases of woods and trees under threat, with details on the planning system, Tree Preservation Orders, protected species and other issues.
Also see “Is your local wood under threat? How can you take action to protect it?”. This summary leaflet is published by the Woodland Trust and deals with cases of woods under threat in Northern Ireland. It is available online at www.woodland-trust.org.uk
For Further Details Contact:
Stephen Daye, Parks & Countryside (Development) Officer, Development Services, Civic Centre, Antrim Street, Carrickfergus, BT38 7DG.
T: +44 (0) 28 9335 8039
E: greenspace@carrickfergus.org
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Think Big – More is Better
There is no such thing as a modest hanging basket.They work best packed to the brim to make a big, bold display. |
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Choose a Better Basket
Never use a basket less than 35 cm (14in) diameter – anything smaller simply dries out too quickly |
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A Good Looking Liner Gives a Quality Finish
Moss is still often held up as king when it comes to lining a basket, but you should only ever use it as a cosmetic finish to hide an inner plastic liner. |
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Compost is Critical
Either buy a special container/basket compost, which will have water-storing granules and slow-release fertiliser added, or use a quality multi-purpose compost and add the extras yourself. |
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Size Up Your Plants
The earlier you plant your baskets, the smaller the plants can be. |
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Don’t Jump the Gun
Don’t sow the seeds of your baskets’ destruction by hanging them out too early. |
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A Good Support Act
Make sure the means of support is adequate in both size and strength. Use the correct size of bracket for the basket and fix it the right way up. |
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Drink to Success
Regular and thorough watering is vital for success. A watering can is fine for just a few baskets, but for a busy watering round nothing beats a trigger-operated lance fitted to the hose. |
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Feed and Pamper for More Flowers
’Plugs’ of slow-release fertiliser in the compost are vital to give a balanced flow of plant foods. |
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Know Your First Aid Drill
If your basket dries out and everything wilts, put it in the large container of water in the shade. Leave it overnight to revive, and only hang it up again when all the plants have recovered. Sprinkling a wetting agent on the compost should prevent further problems. |
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