In Spring 2007 I planted eight bare-root saplings in our
lawn. Followed advice and created a metre diameter bare
area around each. But several times the trees have
appeared sickly.

We have quite a thin soil over compact clay subsoil and
therefore the roots tend the spread through the top few
inches of soil only. I suspect that I am cutting through
the new roots when I periodically recut the edges of the
bare circle around each tree .

Has anyone found a way of maintaining the bare soil around
trees without cutting their spreading roots?

Davy

On Sat, 25 Oct 2008 12:18:03 -0500, Davy
wrote:

In Spring 2007 I planted eight bare-root saplings in our
lawn. Followed advice and created a metre diameter bare
area around each. But several times the trees have
appeared sickly.

We have quite a thin soil over compact clay subsoil and
therefore the roots tend the spread through the top few
inches of soil only. I suspect that I am cutting through
the new roots when I periodically recut the edges of the
bare circle around each tree .

Has anyone found a way of maintaining the bare soil around
trees without cutting their spreading roots?

You don't say what sort of tree.
Did you watch Gardeners' World last night? (24/10)
Toby planted a liquidambar, and showed just how to plant it. He
covered the bare earth with layers of newspaper and then compost or
shredded bark; I forget which. You could use permeable membrane and
cover that with bark.
Sounds like you need to prepare a bigger, deeper hole with more
compost dug in.


Pam in Bristol

On 25/10/08 18:57, in article ,
"Pam Moore" wrote:

On Sat, 25 Oct 2008 12:18:03 -0500, Davy
wrote:

In Spring 2007 I planted eight bare-root saplings in our
lawn. Followed advice and created a metre diameter bare
area around each. But several times the trees have
appeared sickly.

We have quite a thin soil over compact clay subsoil and
therefore the roots tend the spread through the top few
inches of soil only. I suspect that I am cutting through
the new roots when I periodically recut the edges of the
bare circle around each tree .

Has anyone found a way of maintaining the bare soil around
trees without cutting their spreading roots?

You don't say what sort of tree.
Did you watch Gardeners' World last night? (24/10)
Toby planted a liquidambar, and showed just how to plant it. He
covered the bare earth with layers of newspaper and then compost or
shredded bark; I forget which. You could use permeable membrane and
cover that with bark.
Sounds like you need to prepare a bigger, deeper hole with more
compost dug in.


Pam in Bristol

Speaking of which, isn't Toby doing a good job? Two people stopped me in
Ashburton today and asked if we agreed on that!
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

"Sacha" wrote
Speaking of which, isn't Toby doing a good job? Two people stopped me in
Ashburton today and asked if we agreed on that!

He's OK, like Monty before him, which is why I'm not a regular viewer.
--
Regards
Bob Hobden

On Sat, 25 Oct 2008 19:03:04 +0100, Sacha
wrote:

Speaking of which, isn't Toby doing a good job? Two people stopped me in
Ashburton today and asked if we agreed on that!

Yes, I think he was a very good choice.

Pam in Bristol

On 25/10/08 22:31, in article , "Bob
Hobden" wrote:


"Sacha" wrote
Speaking of which, isn't Toby doing a good job? Two people stopped me in
Ashburton today and asked if we agreed on that!

He's OK, like Monty before him, which is why I'm not a regular viewer.

I don't find him to be in that mould. The comments made to me today
compared him more to Geoff Hamilton and I think he's going along that line.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

Pam Moore wrote in
:

On Sat, 25 Oct 2008 12:18:03 -0500, Davy
wrote:

In Spring 2007 I planted eight bare-root saplings in
our
lawn. Followed advice and created a metre diameter
bare
area around each. But several times the trees have
appeared sickly.

We have quite a thin soil over compact clay subsoil
and
therefore the roots tend the spread through the top
few
inches of soil only. I suspect that I am cutting
through
the new roots when I periodically recut the edges of
the
bare circle around each tree .

Has anyone found a way of maintaining the bare soil
around
trees without cutting their spreading roots?

You don't say what sort of tree.
Did you watch Gardeners' World last night? (24/10)
Toby planted a liquidambar, and showed just how to
plant it. He
covered the bare earth with layers of newspaper and
then compost or
shredded bark; I forget which. You could use
permeable membrane and
cover that with bark.
Sounds like you need to prepare a bigger, deeper hole
with more
compost dug in.


Pam in Bristol

Thanks Pam, but my query was not really about how to
plant a tree but how to maintain the grass edge around
it. I could lay a membrane over the grass but I think
there would be a danger of it catching up in my petrol
mower.
thanks, Davy

In article . 145,
says...
In Spring 2007 I planted eight bare-root saplings in our
lawn. Followed advice and created a metre diameter bare
area around each. But several times the trees have
appeared sickly.

We have quite a thin soil over compact clay subsoil and
therefore the roots tend the spread through the top few
inches of soil only. I suspect that I am cutting through
the new roots when I periodically recut the edges of the
bare circle around each tree .

Has anyone found a way of maintaining the bare soil around
trees without cutting their spreading roots?

Davy

Yes I throw the grass mowings there.
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea