GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post - planting raspberries

27-10-2003, 12:22 PM

(Steve Harris) wrote in
:

In article ,
(Robert) wrote:

No it's not necessary at all.

What I think IS necessary is taking heed of Hassayon's basic idea -
that plants that have spent time in a container need something LIKE
his "planting mixture" between the soil and the root "ball".

When I started gardening a couple of years ago, I put several shrubs
straight in the soil. When I pulled up the dying plants recently,
there was a very dense lump of roots the shape of the original
container.

I've seen this, but only when there have been other 'causes of death'.
I usually just plonk shrubs straight into a hole in the ground: I think
the only ones I have ever actually lost have been a tender fuchsia (too
cold for it) and a lavender (had one too many, so chanced it in an
inappropriate dark shady spot: bad idea!).

If a shrub dies, it's most unlikely to be because of lack of 'planting
mixture'. Far more likely it was too cold, too shady, too sunny, too
damp, too dry, too acid, too alkaline, or it got a disease or
infestation (often because it was weakened by one of the above).

My suspicion about your shrubs focusses on wetness: either you dug a
hole in thick solid clay (the only soil where 'planting mix' is likely
to make any difference) and it filled with water and drowned the roots,
or you didn't water enough until they'd got going.

Usually shrubs get their roots down into the soil within a year or so,
and you lose the 'pot shape' very quickly (and it's then a git to move
'em if you change your mind about the location!). It may be that using
'planting mix' speeds this up or helps particularly delicate plants
establish more quickly, but it is by no means essential.

You can tease the roots out when you plant to encourage them to go out
rather than round and round. I used to do this, but now I rarely
bother, and it seems to make no difference.

I planted raspberries direct into the soil last year with a good mulch
or bracken and paper, and some manure on the top. They have raced away,
and so, indeed has every other rasp. I've ever planted!

In short: I don't think Tim needs peat.

Victoria Clare