Guidance changes over time. Jason runs a nursery and follows the science. I think his approach bears scrutiny. Something to think about.
I would take with a bag of salt advise from someone who calls themselves "the UK's top tree grower" (whatever that might mean). Yes, there are all sorts out there on Youtube.
"Arborists used to advise 20-30 years ago that you dig a hole as deep
as the roots of the apple tree you are planting and 3 times the diameter
of the existing root system.
However, “consensus among experts [nowadays] is to dig a hole the same depth and just slightly wider than the existing roots”
I am wary about giving advice about something you have not actually done, but based only on what some on line guru suggests. You are far better following the advice of those who have actually planted lots of trees, over many years.
How can you lie there and think of England When you don't even know who's in the team
That last article says about apple trees "However, they will do best where there is moist yet well-drained loamy soil, rich in organic matter." How many of us have that sort of soil? I haven't. Yet I have planted many trees and apple trees that have grown well in several gardens over the years.You can improve your soil by digging in lots of compost so that it becomes a bit more like that.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
A suggestion for path surfaces is slate chippings. A really good depth, 4/5 inches min., on a strong membrane looks good and does not tread into the house. It is more expensive than gravel but easy to weed and comes in different colours.
When I started as a landscape architect the general guidance, which I unthinkably copied, was dig a big hole, and add lots of enrichment. A very good contractor we used to work with took me aside and told me this wasn't a good approach, better to get the tree into the native soil as soon as possible rather than make a large pocket of cossetted soil that can become a soggy, stinky sump of excessively wet organic matter. He was fed up of replacing trees at his own cost during the snagging period. In a garden setting where you have good drainage you'll probably get away with the old approach most of the time, but we were working on new developments where the soil was often poorly drained. A lot of research has been done that backs up the approach.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
That video by the "UK's Top Tree Grower" concerned me slightly, the tree didn't look upright and putting the dug out turf back on top and upside down seemed rather challenging for the tree!
Quite, there is so much rubbish online, and people just take it as gospel. If you have never planted a tree how can you decide whether online advice is any good?
How can you lie there and think of England When you don't even know who's in the team
When you consider how many decades/centuries all sorts of plants/trees/shrubs have been getting planted, it feels nowadays as if people just want to try the latest 'fad' [ just as they do with all sorts of other things] regardless of whether it's actually beneficial, or any better than anything else that's gone before. It's not the same as cleaning your oven or painting a wall either. It's a living thing which needs the right attention. A lot of people are also buying plants from a huge variety of sources, and not all of them will be in the best condition to plant out anyway, which makes a huge difference to how something thrives. We see it all the time on this forum. I agree with @Loxley too. If you're planting trees [or shrubs] over autumn and winter is the ideal time because of available moisture. However, there are various factors which will determine the success of any plant - not just what happens below ground level. Any site which has heavy, wet, compacted and unamended clay will be pretty inhospitable for a specimen which has been grown carefully for a very long time, in nursery conditions, so it always pays to properly prep the ground first, and wait until it's in better condition, where you can then simply dig a hole and plant without too much effort, and with far less ongoing attention. The alternative if planting now, is to buy cheaper, younger whips, and several of them, which will establish more readily with minumum fuss. They may not all take [ and they still have to be suited to the general climate and conditions etc ] and you can remove some if they all thrive, but they'll establish readily in all sorts of conditions because of the fact that they haven't been mollycoddled, are much younger, and are therefore more adaptable. Having planted many shrubs and trees in heavy, wet clay over several decades - often in gardens which have had very little gardening done in them, I've always preferred to improve the soil and then wait before planting something. Saves a lot of money
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I can see how just digging a hole and filling it with compost could form a sump. Therefore I need to improve drainage in the whole area.
First I added a bag of compost to each tree hole, mixed it in and put a cane to mark it's position.
Then I used a fork to heave up the top foot of clay. Was really happy with how many worms were present in the clay. I left an area to stand in while planting the trees, will fork it over once that's done.
The bulk bags of compost are due on Wednesday, so this should really help the compost work it's way down into the soil and aid drainage.
Posts
You are far better following the advice of those who have actually planted lots of trees, over many years.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
A lot of people are also buying plants from a huge variety of sources, and not all of them will be in the best condition to plant out anyway, which makes a huge difference to how something thrives. We see it all the time on this forum.
I agree with @Loxley too. If you're planting trees [or shrubs] over autumn and winter is the ideal time because of available moisture. However, there are various factors which will determine the success of any plant - not just what happens below ground level. Any site which has heavy, wet, compacted and unamended clay will be pretty inhospitable for a specimen which has been grown carefully for a very long time, in nursery conditions, so it always pays to properly prep the ground first, and wait until it's in better condition, where you can then simply dig a hole and plant without too much effort, and with far less ongoing attention.
The alternative if planting now, is to buy cheaper, younger whips, and several of them, which will establish more readily with minumum fuss. They may not all take [ and they still have to be suited to the general climate and conditions etc ] and you can remove some if they all thrive, but they'll establish readily in all sorts of conditions because of the fact that they haven't been mollycoddled, are much younger, and are therefore more adaptable.
Having planted many shrubs and trees in heavy, wet clay over several decades - often in gardens which have had very little gardening done in them, I've always preferred to improve the soil and then wait before planting something. Saves a lot of money
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I can see how just digging a hole and filling it with compost could form a sump. Therefore I need to improve drainage in the whole area.
First I added a bag of compost to each tree hole, mixed it in and put a cane to mark it's position.
Then I used a fork to heave up the top foot of clay. Was really happy with how many worms were present in the clay. I left an area to stand in while planting the trees, will fork it over once that's done.
The bulk bags of compost are due on Wednesday, so this should really help the compost work it's way down into the soil and aid drainage.