We have been blessed with a great webinar from Martin Hermy the author of ‘ The Right Tree for the Garden’.
It’s great how he shares his knowledge in a simple way. So the book is definitely a must for me.
I also see so many beautiful pictures passing by of people who are starting to plant trees in their garden with great enthusiasm. I think that’s great.
But I always hold my breath when I see how no account is taken of the place that this friend will need sooner or later. Your tree will one day become very large and will prefer to stick out its feelers underground. If you want to know how? This is a simple formula. Martin’s book also contains all dimensions of many species. In principle, a good tree nursery can certainly provide you with the correct information.
Do you now understand why there is legislation that requires trees to be placed at a distance from your neighbors garden?
That legislation has also been slightly adjusted in Belgium since September 2021. Please note in the link to the environment counter you will find some more information. But the rules that the municipality draws up ALWAYS takes precedence. So it is always better to knock on that.
In practice, trees also root much less deeply than you might think. You now also understand why if they are not placed in the right place or planted incorrectly, their roots cannot do their thing.
Therefore, when planting a tree, it is not smart to ‘fill the planting hole with food’. Because why should the roots still spread their roots.
If you have a tree where the roots are completely entwined, it is better to spread those roots a bit. Linda Chalker-Scott has some great videos about that. Sorry in English, but you immediately understand what you should also pay attention to when you buy a tree. She is a strong proponent of removing all soil and planting ‘bare root ball’. You can find all her videos via this link.
