We mentioned before that summer is a fine time to plant shrubs and trees. Along came plastic pots and now many shrubs and trees are grown in containers that can be planted anytime of year — so summer is officially now a great time to plant. But there are a few bits to highlight so that you have the most possible success and the topics of water and plant food are top of the list. Damp soil can make the difference between plant life and death — especially during the first two months after planting.
Summer-planted annual and perennial flowers benefit from soakings every two or three days, since their roots are small and near the soil surface.
Newly emerged grass also appreciates a drink once or twice a day. Trees, shrubs and evergreens planted in summer benefit from deeper soakings every five to seven days. Mix an organic plant fertilizer into the soil at the first watering to add micronutrients that help plants overcome the stress of transplanting.
RHS Christmas gifts. Help us achieve our goals Make a donation. Join the RHS today and support our charity Join now. Save to My scrapbook. Planting a tree in winter. Quick facts. Jump to Suitable for When to plant trees and shrubs How to plant a tree or large shrub Aftercare Problems. Suitable for When to plant trees and shrubs Planting is best done between October and April.
How to plant a tree or large shrub Site preparation Plants will not grow where soil contains too little air or where soil moisture is either excessive or insufficient.
Pre-planting soil preparation should aim to improve these conditions: Loosen the soil to a depth equivalent to the height of the rootball and over a wide area to eliminate compaction and improve drainage Improve soil structure on heavy or sandy soils by incorporating organic matter It is not beneficial to apply fertiliser at planting time. However, on poor soils sprinkling an inoculant of mycorrhizal fungi e. Rootgrow over and in contact with the roots, may help trees and shrubs establish If soils are waterlogged over winter consider trees better suited to wet soil , install drainage, or plant on a slight mound, about cm 10in-1ft high and 1m 39in in diameter Guide to planting Remove plants from containers or fabric wrapping some specimen trees specify that the wrapping be left on under the terms of their guarantee, but normally fabric wrappings should be taken off.
With the exception of magnolia and eucalyptus which resent root disturbance, trim potbound roots and spread the roots out of bare-root plants to get an idea of their spread. There is no need to trim or tease out roots from rootballs that are not potbound. Dig a planting hole that is no deeper than the roots, but is ideally at least three times the diameter of the root system. If the sides of the planting hole are compacted, break the soil up with a fork before planting. In grassed areas circular planting holes are easier to mow around, but square planting holes aid root penetration at the corners on heavy soils.
A square hole within a mowing circle combines the two. Soak bare-rooted trees or shrubs for about 30 minutes prior to planting. And give containerised plants a good water before taking them out of their pots. Place the tree or shrub in the planting hole and position it so that the first flare of roots are level with the soil surface when planting is complete.
With container grown plants, the top layers of compost may need to be scraped away to reveal the flare of roots. Deep planting prevents essential air movement to the root system and makes the lower trunk vulnerable to disease - this can lead to poor establishment.
The flair should be at or slightly above the soil line when planted. That same root flair is there on a balled and burlapped tree, but can be harder to see.
If in question, plant a balled and burlapped tree a little higher by an inch or two to ensure the tree is not planted too deep. It is best to identify the root flair before you dig the hole so it is no deeper than necessary. The biggest difference in spring and fall planting compared to summer is the critical need to manage the watering for a summer planting. Water the plants well at planting time and check for soil moisture in the container or root ball area in about days sooner for containers, later for soil balls to be sure soil moisture is adequate.
After that, Hentschel says, check every few days, knowing that watering is all weather-dependent. Hot, dry air will pull more water out of the plant.
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