Tree Planting

There are many reasons for planting new trees, planting to replace a tree lost in a storm, planting a tree to add interest to a particular area or planting a tree to increase biodiversity. When planting trees best planting practices must be followed to allow the tree to flourish and become a mature tree.  Almost anybody can get a tree to survive for a growing season or a year so the period after this is the most crucial if the tree is to survive for longer than this. Often the suppliers of the trees provide a one-year guarantee for the trees. When the tree survives through this period often the grower believes that his job is now done and the tree can survive without any further attention. This can be regularly be the time when the tree is at its most susceptible into the second year of transplanting. Trees undergo a period of transplant shock when they are planted into the ground either from a field nursery or a container. The transplant shock period is usually around 1 year per 2.5 cm of stem diameter at breast height. This can mean that a tree with an 8 cm girth can take over three years to fully compensate against transplant shock and the loss of root mass. It is advisable that the time considered as the transplant shock period should be treated as an intensive care period.

Water

Water is probably the most important factor that needs to taken into account during the time period when the trees are being established. During this period the tree is concentrating on generating a more balanced root system, just like it had before the tree was transplanted. Taking this into consideration the watering of trees must be a priority. There are no hard and fast rules for watering trees due to the climatic conditions that can impact on how much is needed and at what time. In dry summer conditions trees can use up a lot of water very quickly. Water is lost through transpiration. If left unwatered through a very warm period this can do serious damage to the tree.

Size of Planting Stock

Young trees (whips) are recommended for planting for a variety of reasons. They establish quickly and in a few growing seasons they can catch up and over take trees planted as standards. They have many advantages over standards, they are cheaper and they do not require stakes to hold them firm. They also develop more vigorous root systems than trees planted as standards.