PLANTING SHRUBS AND TREES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 168, 20 July 1935, Page 13

PLANTING SHRUBS AND TREES

The planting of all kinds of evergreen and deciduous trees ami shrubs should now be pushed on with dispatch. Hitherto, unfavourable weather conditions have rendered planting in all but light, porous, naturally well-drained soils out of the question. For ornamental trees ami shrubs that are planted with the object of their growing into large ami handsome specimens, extra care should be taken in the preparation of the holes for lheir reception. Merely digging a hole in stiff, uncongenial soil and placing the tree in, ami tilling in lhe earth and treading it firm is not sufficient. The tree will rot thrive. Il is a. good plan when digging the hole, to throw out some of lhe subsoil ami refill with some good fresh surface earth, lhe, best for this purpose, being turfy loam or volcanic soil—or the trimmings of path edgings, leaf rubbish, etc. In rich, deep soils it ( is, of course, unnecessary to go to this trouble. After the tree has been carefully planted, with tine soil well worked in among lhe roots ami trodden down sufficiently firmly, a final tilling of loose earth should be made, ami the tree secpunly slaked if necessary, to pre vent it bocomihg affected by the winds. With a little care lhe tree will soon become established in its new quarters. The cause of so many failures in the planting of evergreen trees and shrubs is chiefly due to improper treatment in the planting.