@Fairygirl I don’t think we’ve had this much rain in this space of time before here - last few days have been like a monsoon season ... I used a bucket to take out 75 litres of water at least (put through a sieve) ... perhaps the previous tree(s) in the area might have helped by drinking it up but this was excessive today ... I can’t imaging any tree not being waterlogged.
I think you are right about the old tree - I think the mass of the root ball and roots having been displaced with more porous soil has allowed lots of water to get into those areas where previously there was literally no space
Re the gravel thing, I’m not particularly arguing for it as a drainage solution... I’ve basically backfilled with compost and put down gravel in amongst it just to try to use something more to raise the base level of the rootball and fill up the hole properly ... I exhausted my reserves of compost that took me an age to sieve back in late summer.
I'm hoping it'll be ok for you @jamesharcourt. I would just worry about it sitting there all winter if it's wet. They will take any amount of water they're given, if the soil has adequate drainage, but they won't appreciate sitting in it long term. All you can do is keep an eye on it over the next month or two and see how it looks. Hopefully, some of the other planting will help with sucking up some water too.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Fairygirl I know what you mean ... I couldn’t leave it as I found this morning which was immersed in a bog ... but I’ve since raised it up so the bottom of the rootball is 3 inches above where the water level was this morning, so it’s not sitting in the waterlogged zone.
But I am worried it will sink ... so during winter I might have to raise it further ... a job that I don’t look forward to )))
I think there's a very good chance of it sinking, but cross that bridge when you come to it. I'm hoping you won't actually need a bridge, of course....
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I have a similar problem. I’m building a raised bed (about 1 ft high) for 4 columnar fruit trees. I double dug down within the bed (the bed is about 3’ x 8’), finding it to be solid clay. I mixed in lots of compost and topsoil to improve the soil. Then it rained. I think the water is running off the surrounding area (covered in gravel) into my newly dug sump. I like the idea of the raised bed to alleviate the problem for the trees, and I have read that the roots don’t go particularly deep, but is it a good idea to still do this over a sump? i have visions of the trees slowly sinking beneath the surface...
If you dig a hole in clay and fill it with free draining material and gravel you create a sump which will fill with water. If you fill the hole with compost and organic matter, you have created sour anaerobic conditions which will make matters worse. You are better planting the tree into native soil with no amendment (perhaps a mulch of organic matter on the surface, lightly worked in). Better still create a mound or raised bed so that the roots are above the 'wet zone' while they establish. Don't create the mound on top of a sump of organic material, organic material should generally be at the top of the soil profile, not sitting underneath the roots (unless you are making a hot bed for prize melons!)
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
I filled the hole with compost and topsoil before if rained and turned into a swamp. Sadly, I had also put a pergola over the area, to net the fruit trees. Is my only option to forget growing the trees here and turn the pergola into a seating area? The whole garden is solid clay covered in gravel, with no topsoil.
I think you'll struggle to grow fruit trees successfully on Arran without a lot of prep, and a purpose built area. I did that here. The ground is solid compacted clay underneath, and was covered in slabs and gravel. You'd have been better adding manure to the bed which helps with drainage. If you make the raised bed another foot higher, it will help. I'm not sure making a pergola will help either - it'll create a lot of shade. A cage is better.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
I think you are right about the old tree - I think the mass of the root ball and roots having been displaced with more porous soil has allowed lots of water to get into those areas where previously there was literally no space
Re the gravel thing, I’m not particularly arguing for it as a drainage solution... I’ve basically backfilled with compost and put down gravel in amongst it just to try to use something more to raise the base level of the rootball and fill up the hole properly ... I exhausted my reserves of compost that took me an age to sieve back in late summer.
All you can do is keep an eye on it over the next month or two and see how it looks. Hopefully, some of the other planting will help with sucking up some water too.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
But I am worried it will sink ... so during winter I might have to raise it further ... a job that I don’t look forward to )))
I'm hoping you won't actually need a bridge, of course....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I like the idea of the raised bed to alleviate the problem for the trees, and I have read that the roots don’t go particularly deep, but is it a good idea to still do this over a sump?
i have visions of the trees slowly sinking beneath the surface...
Is my only option to forget growing the trees here and turn the pergola into a seating area?
The whole garden is solid clay covered in gravel, with no topsoil.
If you make the raised bed another foot higher, it will help.
I'm not sure making a pergola will help either - it'll create a lot of shade. A cage is better.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...