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Tree needing love
GrassyKnoll
Posts: 95
We moved into a new house last year that has this 'upside down' tree in the garden.
Firstly, can anyone tell me what it is?
Secondly, it looks like it needs a bit of love. The branches are very thinned, ie. there are hardly any. Last year it had a handful of red, cherry like fruits on it, but no amount to speak of. Similarly, a few sprouts of pink blossom.
This year, no blossom or fruit at all.
The small rockery around it has only been in place for a few weeks. I've kept a space around the trunk so that air can get to it, but this looks like it should/ could be a nice tree.
Any recommendations on how to care for this would be appreciated.
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looks like one of the many "weeping" cotoneasters, but I might be wrong. I can't enlarge the photo.
Or a weeping cherry perhaps?
I'm sorry but I'd get rid of the rocks - how's water supposed to get to the roots of the tree, not to mention any feed that it needs?
It's got leylandii behind it that take all the water out of the soil, and then rocks on top of it's roots so the rain can't penetrate.
I'd clear a circle a metre in diameter around the trunk, free from any grass or other plants, then water well and mulch with soil improver for the winter and in the spring give it a feed of Fish, Blood and Bone - that'll give it a much better chance.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I've enlarged the picture and it looks like a weeping cheery,
i agree with dove get rid of the rocks the tree will suffer and make sure you water, it will be competing with the Leylandi. Not a good place for it really , I would be inclined to wait until it's dormant and then dig it up and put somewhere else.
I thought Cotoneaster too but the leaves don't look right.
I agree with Dove and Chrissy though - it's always going to struggle in that location and under those circimstances. Whatever it is, I'd try and move it if possible. It'll need gallons of water first, to make digging it out easier.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I agree that's it's in the wrong place. I only put the rocks around it to protect it from strimmer damage. I didn't think it would cause the tree any problems.
I'd like to move it. How big do you think the root ball might be?
Last edited: 12 September 2016 08:10:37
I'd start preparing a new planting site now, digging in some well-rotted manure and soil improver/home made compost - what's your soil like generally? Clay? Loam?
At the same time make sure that the soil around the tree gets watered - not so that it's sodden but you don't want to try to dig it up if it's baked dry and hard.
Then in late November I'd dig it up - digging about 8" each side bigger than the rock circle. Have a tarpaulin ready to lift the tree onto with as much soil as possible and drag it gently to it's new home, that way it should hardly notice that it's been lifted - it will just be much happier and healthier if you've chosen the new site carefully.
I would use a sloping stake, as shown here https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=208
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thanks very much. My soil is very clay like.
As you've got clay soil, I'd prepare the replanting area by digging plenty compost/well rotted manure into the soil over the whole area now and allow the area to settle, before digging the whole when the move takes place.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thank you for that. it's a great help (although now I have ANOTHER job to do
).
Duh! hole, not whole
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.