The 23rd September to the 23rd October marks Seed Gathering Season and the start of planting season.
This autumn campaign focuses on the importance of growing trees for future generations. Imported pests and diseases mean that some species of tree are at risk, but growing trees from healthy local seeds are the perfect way to combat this and retain the diversity of stock specific to each area. Trees that have adapted to the local environment are more likely to flourish and conserve rural space than those alien to their surroundings.
Planting is not a technical job, but it can be laborious and therefore it is essential to ensure you are planting your trees and shrubs in the correct conditions – you don’t want all that hard labour to go to waste! Some of the most important things to consider when planting include root care, weather, soil conditions and aftercare. October offers good conditions for planting as the temperature has not yet dropped too far. It is best to avoid planting in frozen soil and it is also best to avoid waterlogged soil as the water can pool and become stagnant.
Prior to planting it is important to prepare your site. This includes breaking up the soil to allow air to penetrate and conditioning the soil with a sandy based topsoil such as our BS3882 Topsoil since it is of the highest quality. Manufactured from the best quality screened soil, our products are blended with nutritionally dense compost to create a faultless environment for your newly planted shrub or tree to thrive. Our BS3882 Topsoil is full of nutrients and its sandy loam texture helps retain moisture.
When digging a hole for your tree or shrub you should dig three times wider than the root system your plant has, this means that growth will not be limited by impacted soil blocking roots and gives your tree the best possible chance of survival. Planting too deep leaves the root system vulnerable to disease, so make sure you keep your hole shallow and wide when planting saplings. Growing trees from seed is a long process, so it is beneficial to plant saplings, and October is the ideal month to do this.
