The more research i seem to do the more conflicting advise there seems to be out there!! Manure, topsoil, compost, fertilizer, slow release fertilizer, dig a big hole, only dig the size of the root ball, dont use too much fertilizer...andit goes on
It depends on your soil to a large extent and the particular preferences of the person giving the advice as well.
For example, if you have unimproved heavy clay soil and you dig a big hole, fill it full of lovely soft compost and plant a tree in it, the tree will probably drown. But other soil types behave differently so the best method for tree planting will also be different. And soil that's been well cultivated for a few years generally overcomes natural deficiencies and improves. So it depends on the soil and how much work has been done to it already.
If you plant woody shrubs or trees with a high nitrogen fertiliser, the nitrogen encourages soft green growth, which is then liable to break or be frosted, so too much can be a bad thing. However a balanced fertiliser with a range of minerals and nutrients - such as seaweed extract - will help the plant grow strongly and it is unlikely you'd ever be able to give it too much. So it depends on the fertiliser you use.
Manure is almost always good if it's well rotted. It's almost always death to plants if it's newly er, laid, so to speak. So it depends on the manure.
Just because advice is conflicting doesn't mean it's wrong - it just 'depends'
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
The soil seems pretty good it just gets a bit stoney and bricky a few feet down, think im going to buy a soil testing kit to check. Doesnt seem particularly clay like or sandy as you can maybe see from the picture. I think it may have had topsoil put on at some point in the past over the top of the previous structure. I will confess though I wouldnt know good soil from bad really
Your soil structure looks good from the photo. If you didn't find it too much trouble digging down, it's probably loamy soil and definitely not clay soil. No need to go over-board with testing, just a PH test kit to get an idea of whether you have acid, neutral or alkaline soil. Helps you later to choose best plants for your soil later.
This rotted manure amount is totally up to you. I find that longterm woody plants need more care on the initial planting. That means a well prepared planting hole so the roots can grow outwards. If you feel you haven't added enough manure, you could always add onto the top layer later, so it's not the most important thing. In fact, I would not over-do rotted manure for shrubs. They need a more balanced feed to avoid lush floppy growth which can be a target for some pests and diseases. Seaweed feed is probably the best all round feed.
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Good advice from Obelisk. Liberally dug in and applied well rotted manure is the best thing for fruit trees.
It depends on your soil to a large extent and the particular preferences of the person giving the advice as well.
For example, if you have unimproved heavy clay soil and you dig a big hole, fill it full of lovely soft compost and plant a tree in it, the tree will probably drown. But other soil types behave differently so the best method for tree planting will also be different. And soil that's been well cultivated for a few years generally overcomes natural deficiencies and improves. So it depends on the soil and how much work has been done to it already.
If you plant woody shrubs or trees with a high nitrogen fertiliser, the nitrogen encourages soft green growth, which is then liable to break or be frosted, so too much can be a bad thing. However a balanced fertiliser with a range of minerals and nutrients - such as seaweed extract - will help the plant grow strongly and it is unlikely you'd ever be able to give it too much. So it depends on the fertiliser you use.
Manure is almost always good if it's well rotted. It's almost always death to plants if it's newly er, laid, so to speak. So it depends on the manure.
Just because advice is conflicting doesn't mean it's wrong - it just 'depends'
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
The soil seems pretty good it just gets a bit stoney and bricky a few feet down, think im going to buy a soil testing kit to check. Doesnt seem particularly clay like or sandy as you can maybe see from the picture. I think it may have had topsoil put on at some point in the past over the top of the previous structure. I will confess though I wouldnt know good soil from bad really
Your soil structure looks good from the photo. If you didn't find it too much trouble digging down, it's probably loamy soil and definitely not clay soil. No need to go over-board with testing, just a PH test kit to get an idea of whether you have acid, neutral or alkaline soil. Helps you later to choose best plants for your soil later.
This rotted manure amount is totally up to you. I find that longterm woody plants need more care on the initial planting. That means a well prepared planting hole so the roots can grow outwards. If you feel you haven't added enough manure, you could always add onto the top layer later, so it's not the most important thing. In fact, I would not over-do rotted manure for shrubs. They need a more balanced feed to avoid lush floppy growth which can be a target for some pests and diseases. Seaweed feed is probably the best all round feed.
Last edited: 07 November 2017 17:11:48
Not too much trouble digging down until i hit the brick wall