Good morning. I am new to the group so please forgive any stupidity or
omitted information in the following questions:

I had a Lawson Cypress hedge removed 3 winters ago and the remaining
stumps gone over with a stump grinder. I say hedge, but the largest
trunk was over 12" in diameter so row of trees might be more accurate.
The tree were, according to the neighbours at least 25 years old.

Nothing has been done to the ground since the trees were felled.

I am going to replant the hedge with a variety of trees and have
successfully applied to the Free Tree Scheme. Thus I will be receiving
75 mixed trees - none more than 80 cm high (are these called whips?)- in
early December.

What should I do - or should I have done - to prepare the ground for
planting. I intend planting in 3 parallel rows and staggering the
varieties along the rows.

All of my previous tree and hedge planting has been either in woodland
to replace gaps or planting new hedges along the edges of fields.

FWIW I'm at the bottom of a chalk downland slope and the soil is heavy
and can be damp. The chalky soil starts about 2' below the clay-ey
surface. The hedge will be running north to south and on the east side
of a 6' fence.

A few of the trees will be planted in the north facing front garden
where the soil is much lighter, but still quite damp.


TIA


Richard