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Book:	Tree Planting & Aftercare
Chapter:	Appendix F Introduced trees
Section:	Choosing and planting introduced trees
Metadata:	Details	Buy this book

There is a huge range of trees available from garden centres, nurseries and specialist suppliers. Choice should be made according to the soil type, situation, space available and the purpose of the planting. There are many books available in libraries and bookshops which can be consulted for further advice, including the following:

The Tree and Shrub Expert by Dr D G Hessayon (pbi Publications)
Garden Trees by The Royal Horticultural Society (Dorling Kindersley)
The Hillier Manual of Trees and Shrubs by Hillier (pocket edition also available).

Introduced trees are normally not available as small, two year, bare-root transplants, but are grown in the nursery for another year or two until they are 1.2-1.8m (4-6ft) in height. Some species also benefit from early pruning, which is best done in the nursery, to form a balanced head of growth. They are sold as either bare-root, root-balled (wrapped) or container-grown plants, depending on the species and the supplier. Garden centres normally sell container-grown plants. With ornamental trees, many purchasers want to plant for immediate impact, and at any time of year, and are willing to pay the much higher prices which older, container-grown stock commands. As with any tree, the shock from transplanting and the generally poor root:shoot ratio of standard trees (see planting and protection) means that such trees may be slow to establish and put on new growth. Choosing the smaller, younger and cheaper sizes available for any species will, given correct care, lead to the best establishment. Even for container-grown stock, planting in autumn is the best time of year.

When planting, follow the advice given in planting and protection for pit planting. Tree roots spread and are mainly active in the top 60 cm (2') of soil, so generally dig a hole which is wider than it is deep. A hole 1m (3ft) square is not too large, and should be backfilled with a mixture of soil and compost. This forms a graded zone between the compost in the container and the surrounding soil, and encourages new roots to venture out of the compost and into the new ground. A circle of at least 1m (3ft) diameter around the tree must be kept free of grass for at least 3 years after planting.