Nick Gray wrote:
"Cat" wrote in message
...
I have acquired a handful of young trees, each between 30 and 90
cm
tall. There's one each sweet (Spanish) chestnut, common birch,
hazel
and mountain ash.
I intend to plant them a reasonable distance away from the house,
to
avoid blocking light, but apart from that, is there anything I
should do/look out for/avoid doing?
I assume I need to stake them, any advice on that?
TIA!

Hi Cat,

I wouldn't bother staking them when they are only that tall. If
they
are heeled in well, you'll get little root movement, any branch
movement will actually encourage deep root growth and a strong
trunk
when older. Having said that, check they haven't lifted after any
frost, and reheal as necessary.

Yep. But I'd prepare the soil well: they used to say "A guinea tree
is worth a guinea hole", and trees haven't changed as much as the
value of Sterling. Chuck in a bit of bone-meal. If you're on clay,
avoid just making a hole full of compost that will invisibly fill
with water: break it up and work a bit of rotted organic matter, if
you've got some, well into the soil for a few feet around. As Nick
says, firm them in nicely.

But plants can't read the books, so you'll usually get away with what
would in theory be murder. This gardening lark is easier than some
would have you think.

Mike.