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Old 01-02-2011, 02:14 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Tim Tim is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Oct 2006
Posts: 44
Default Planting saplings

Hi Dave



Thanks for the reply



Here are a few more details which may help.



I'm a designer involved in some urban regeneration work. There is some
discussion about planting trees to green up a site for a number of years the
final timescale is unknown but very unlikely to be more than 25 years.



The thinking is that when the site is developed whatever growth there has
been can be either chipped for biomass or the trees reused elsewhere. It's
not geared up to make a profit anything over breaking even is a bonus.



The work may well be carried out by volunteers so going to a contractor for
a price isn't really possible as it will obviously come out higher. We're
trying to get a feel for the material costs so that we can factor in labour
as a variable.



So to get round to your questions



Whips / saplings - We need to purchase these - size chosen will be
determined by best bang for the buck I'd guess if a small sapling will take
off and grow quicker than a whip then that would probably be worth the
increase in cost but it's outside of my expertise, hence the post here.



Slit planting, from the little I know should be possible



Tree guards shouldn't be needed - the area is "landlocked" between a huge
retaining wall, half a dozen railway lines and a river so it's pretty low on
the nibbly wildlife side, unless rabbits learn to swim.



Staking not required



Soil isn't stony



Planting density is an unknown. I have no idea if different species require
different densities or what effect density will have on growth rate - one
thing is that planting close and then thinning is probably an unpopular
choice from a maintenance point of view.


Travelling costs are moot at this point it's just tree cost and planting
density we're trying to get an idea of. Oh and growth rate of trees I
suppose, faster equals more timber - well pellets out - I suppose, although
do you factor in disease resistance? Why are these things never easy!

Cheers

Tim


"Dave Hill" wrote in message
...
On Jan 31, 9:04 pm, "Tim" no wrote:
Hi all

I was wondering if I could pick your brains. I've tried google but my fu
seems weak on this one.

I've been asked to come up with a guideline price preferably per m2 for
planting small tree saplings/whips of fast growing native species. It's
not
for carbon offsetting as such more an idea for temporary brownfield
regeneration.

Does anyone know of some good online resources they could point me at.

Thanks

Tim


The problem with your request that there are a lot of things to take
into account,
Are you providing the whips or are they small saplings?
Can you plant by slit planting?
Do you have to provide / fit tree guards?
Do you have to stake them?
Is the soil good or stony?
If you are having to price per m2, what density are you having to
plant?
Are you doing all the work yourself or will you have to employ someone
to help you?
How much traveling will be involved every day?
I once had to price to supply and plant 10,000 mixed whips, got under
priced on the job, the person who got the job went bust around 6
months later.
David