@Colin-Jackson Have you dug a deeper hole just to see what is down there in your border? My new garden has a hard pan of soil which I need to break through to aid drainage. I would assume that your pond has shown you what is happening but I have found that the 'pan' is almost no existant in parts but in others three inches thick and like breaking rock. Nothing will get it's roots through that and I sincerely hope you don't have the same problem. It is hard work.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
I dug down about 2 foot when adding the compost. No sign of a hardpan. Plus the ground slopes towards the bottom patio which is built on sand. So fingers crossed.
Silver birch and Rowan tree now in. The Birch is the runt of the litter at a 'mere' 9ft. I'm willing to bet that will have changed by this time next year.
Now time to wheelbarrow 3200 litres of compost down the garden to give them a nice thick mulch:
I normally pace the emptying and spreading of one bag over three days! I wonder whether the depth of six inches around the stems of the trees might be a bit high if you planted them level with the original soil level. I would probably clear or reduce the level immediately around the stems. See what others think 🤔.
@Colin-Jackson I think you need to move the mulch away from the trunk.Good to pace yourself. With minus temps arriving time for some armchair gardening maybe.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
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Nothing will get it's roots through that and I sincerely hope you don't have the same problem. It is hard work.
A little work with a spade and hammer, a pinch of mycorrhizal fungi and the Alder and Hawthorn were in the ground.
As the Alder is pushing 12ft, I'm going to have to get some much bigger stakes.
But first, a well earned cup of tea ☕
Now time to wheelbarrow 3200 litres of compost down the garden to give them a nice thick mulch:
I'm going to need a lot more than six bags to do the whole garden. Might just get away with ten if I'm careful.
I'm guessing all the people that recommend mulching the beds every year have vehicular access.
My back is killing me. The other side can wait until next weekend.