Plant like a pro

It’s an old saying but it remains true: never plant your R200 tree in a R2 hole. Wouter Kruidenier offers some sound advice:

Size of the hole

An average 20kg tree should be planted in a 1m² hole; it must be a square so the roots won’t continue to grow in a circle.

Preparation

When digging the hole, keep the good topsoil to one side. If any of the soil below that is reddish in colour (clay) or light brown (sandy), rather discard it; buy compost-rich soil and mix this with your existing topsoil and refill the hole. Don’t use compost on its own because it may scorch your tree’s roots. Mix bonemeal and a slow-release fertiliser with the topsoil for optimal results.

Planting

Plant the tree at the same depth as it was in the bag; in other words, fill the hole with soil to the correct height before placing the tree in the hole. First stamp the soil down a little so that the tree won’t subside too much. If the root ball is slightly exposed at the top, plant the tree a little deeper – the roots must be below soil level to prevent dehydration.

Time of year

This depends on your region’s climate but in most cases, spring is the best time to plant. In the Western Cape, you can plant in winter so that the tree’s root system can become established and saturated before the growing season begins. At the coast, you should rather wait until winter is over as the winter winds are too cold for a young tree. >>