Planting and Pruning your new Deciduous Tree

Planting

1. Dig an irregular shaped hole, twice the depth and width of the pot or bag the tree was purchased in. Thoroughly mix a whole bag of Greengold Planting Compost to the soil removed from the hole. Fill in the bottom of the hole with the soil and compost mix and lightly dig in approximately five tablspoons of Osmocote.

2. Carefully remove the pot or bag and keeping as much potting mix aroud the roots as possible (new trees will often have some very tender new roots which are easily broken). Place the root mass in the prepared hole, insert two stakes as shown and cover with more of the soil and compost mix. Pack down to form a shallow basin for water.

3. Water in with a root stimulator (eg Seasol or Plant Starter) and a liquid food (eg Seasol or Aquasol). It is very important to stake your tree with two stakes bound low on the trunk to firmly hold the tree roots in place until your tree becomes established. Use a soft tree tie such as hessian to prevent trunk damage. Refer to above diagram.

4. After new growth appears, fertilise in a circle about 40cm out from the trunk of the tree. A subsequent feeding with fertilizer each year is required. For optimal growth, fertilise in Spring, at Christmas and Easter. Healthy Earth fertiliser and Osmocote mixed together provide a complete food source for healthy growth and of course lots of flowers.

Pruning

Our specialised growers of weeping trees state that pruning a new tree is essential for the development of a good framework and subsequent healthy growth.

Cut branches back to an outward facing bud by two thirds, maintaining a central leader as seen in the diagram below. Remove small twiggy growth.