Tree Planting

As long as the ground isn’t frozen or waterlogged this time of year is good for planting trees. This is Cotoneaster 'Cornubia' a lovely small semi-evergreen tree with creamy-white flowers in spring which are very attractive to bees, followed by an abundance of vivid red berries in autumn and winter which are popular with birds. Simple planting rules: soak the root ball first, dig a hole three times as wide as the root ball (but no deeper), tease the roots out when sited in the hole, back fill with soil ensuring the point where the trunk meets the root is level with the surrounding ground before finally firming in to remove air pockets. Here I’ve used a tree guard to protect from unwanted wildlife interest and most important of all is a generous mulch layer 8-10cm deep in a ring doughnut shape to retain moisture and keep away weeds. A single stake would be fine at 45 degrees or to be super posh parallel vertical stakes like this will hold it very steady. Just remember to adjust the ties as your tree grows.