On 29/03/19 00:46, David Hill wrote:
On 28/03/2019 09:27, Andy Burns wrote:
that they reached approx 3.5m in three years time


Why?
Not even Leylandii will do that.
The larger the tree planted the longer it takes to settle in before it
starts to grow.

Why? Because that's what all the books say? Or because someone has
actually compared the growth rate between 10cm, 100cm, and 1000cm
replanted trees?

There might be some basis for it with bare-rooted trees where longer
roots are broken off when lifting, but, providing a tree isn't pot-bound
when planted out, there is no logic in assuming delayed growth for
bigger trees.

Two years ago we had an old conifer "hedge" removed (it was 5 - 6m high
and had been neglected by the previous owner. The trunks were bare for
the first 2 metres). The stumps were ground and I left the area to
weather over winter for 3 months. After it had settled, I put in 20
hollies (alternate variegated and plain) a metre apart. They varied from
100 to about 140cm in height, and were supplied in pots. In two years
they have not grown much (maybe I should have added fertiliser when I
planted them as the decomposing conifer stumps and roots might be
removing nitrogen?). Anyway, what is interesting is that the shorter
(100cm) plants have put on less growth than the taller (140cm) plants -
perhaps 12 cm on average compared to maybe 15 or 18 cm.

--

Jeff