As I said I would choose the planting site, prepare the ground properly and plant it in the ground where, with proper care, it stands a chance of fulfilling its potential and growing into a beautiful tree.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Make sure the rootball is properly hydrated before planting too, or the roots will just keep going round and round, even when planted and watered in. The ground all looks parched and poor, so it'll need loads of good organic matter added to the planting hole - and make the hole big. At least a couple of feet diameter. I'd choose a site with a bit of protection from the coldest wind, and from full sun. West facing is probably best. Stake it properly too - an angled stake low down on the trunk. Water thoroughly, and keep it watered for the next 3 or 4 months until autumn weather will take over. A bucket of water at a time, every few days [unless it rains persistently for hours] poured slowly in at the roots. Mulch regularly with more compost/organic matter etc too. Then cross your fingers that it survives and thrives.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
When you dig the large hole as @Fairygirl describes, make sure you incorporate the organic matter (compost/leaf mould etc) with the soil when you backfill … don’t do as some folk mistakenly do and just put the tree in then fill the hole with the compost. That just creates a boggy sump and the trees roots will drown and rot.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Yes - a good mix is what's needed, especially if it's clay, otherwise you'll just get a sump in winter and a dry, cracked space in summer. The prep of the site is every bit as important as buying the plants - more important really
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Adam isn’t adding organic matter because his soil is rich and in good heart … yours is poorer and your tree is already struggling so needs some extra help.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
They say green sand leeches the soil of nutrients so that's probably why my garden looks poor I must admit I think it's terrific up where I was 3 years ago on heavy clay that was a real challenge. Made loads of mistakes (And still making them) and realized that the original clay soil would always return no matter what you did back to clay within a few years.
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Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
The ground all looks parched and poor, so it'll need loads of good organic matter added to the planting hole - and make the hole big. At least a couple of feet diameter.
I'd choose a site with a bit of protection from the coldest wind, and from full sun. West facing is probably best. Stake it properly too - an angled stake low down on the trunk.
Water thoroughly, and keep it watered for the next 3 or 4 months until autumn weather will take over. A bucket of water at a time, every few days [unless it rains persistently for hours] poured slowly in at the roots. Mulch regularly with more compost/organic matter etc too.
Then cross your fingers that it survives and thrives.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
The prep of the site is every bit as important as buying the plants - more important really
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Adam isn’t adding organic matter because his soil is rich and in good heart … yours is poorer and your tree is already struggling so needs some extra help.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.