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Things to remember when planting trees

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As home gardens become smaller, particularly in the city and suburban areas, space for large trees is shrinking. 

If a tree grows 10 metres high, it should be planted 10 metres from the house. 

This can be limiting as a broad definition between trees and shrubs is about 3-4 metres in height.

Generally, shrubs are lower than 3 metres growing from the bottom and not developing a trunk.

During storms you will notice that eucalypts (gums) aren’t a wise choice for small gardens.

They’re great for large gardens and acreages but need to be considered carefully even then.

Some years ago, I had a three-acre garden, which was covered in gums.

I respected the engineer’s advice… when my home was being constructed that during dry weather, they survived by seeking water even under the house.

There are some points to remember when planting trees.

Always research the mature height and width before purchasing and try to visualise what the tree will look like when it is fully-grown, where will the shadow fall and will it interfere with power lines. 

Look at some disasters in local government street planting, when electricity companies cut such awful shapes into beautiful trees.

When planting a new tree, the soil needs to be well-drained.

Although trees need lots of moisture, their roots shouldn’t be standing in stagnant water. 

The planting hole should be wide enough to allow the roots to spread out – about twice as the root mass when planted. 

Before the tree is planted, place a sturdy stake in the hole beforehand as driving it in after may cause damage to the root system.

There are some smaller growing native trees that are ideal for suburban gardens – for example, wattles, banksias, and NSW Christmas Bush.

One of the newest and most popular is the Magnolia “Teddy Bear”, which bears large white flowers, and it is one of the hardest trees introduced in the past couple of years.

THIS WEEK

  • Dig in cow manure to prepare beds for Christmas planting.
  • Fertilise indoor plants.
  • Check camellias for spider mite, which present as a ribbon of brown down the centre of the leaf.
  • Prune climbing roses after they bloom, then fertilise with Sudden Impact.

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