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Slow growing Rowan Tree

BenDoverBenDover Posts: 488
in Problem solving
Planted a smallish Rowen Tree in garden about 4 years ago.  It was then probably around 6 foot tall and may be 4 foot wide.  Since then, it's only grown about and extra 12-18 inches upwards and outwards but just doesn't seem to want to put on a lot of growth.  It is healthy enough with good green leaves and last year lots of red berries, but I was hoping it would grow up and outwards a bit more than it has in the four years since planting.  It was pot grown by the GC and I watered it well in the first and second growing seasons since planting it.  I have given it some feed last couple of years.  I added plenty of good organic stuff when planting it and dug a good sized hole.  It wasn't pot bound or anything when I planted it, so don't believe the root ball could be anyway restricted. It's in a fairly sunny aspect in the garden getting direct sunlight for most of the day.

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  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    That was quite a substantial size when planted really.  In general with trees, the larger something is when planted, the longer it will take to fully establish compared to a younger sapling.  It will get going though.  The RHS advice these days is to not enrich the soil in the hole when planting as the roots tend to stay in this area instead of moving out into the surrounding natural soil (the opposite always used to be advised.)  Do you know which sort of Rowan it is?  Some are more vigourous than others and many are grafted onto rootstocks.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • BenDoverBenDover Posts: 488
    edited February 2019
    Thanks Bob - I did have the label pinned to the support post for two years to remind me what type of Rowan it was, but unfortunately after that I think it must have blown off into the wind as never seen it after that!   Helpful comments about current RHS advice.  I think this Rowan is on rootstock because there is a definite nobly come knuckle looking bit at the base of the trunk.  I guess I may need to be a bit more patient then.  So glad I planted it though - bees and other insects like it for the flowers and the blackbirds stripped it bare of the red fruits almost immediately after the wonderful display of autumn orange leaves.  Don't think I could have picked a nicer tree for the garden - just wish there was more of it.  :D
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