Understand the choice of woody plants for their display and their establushement and maintenance Flashcards
Name TEN trees suitable for growing in a domestic garden
- Betula utilis subsp. Jacqemontii ‘Moonbeam’
- Acer palmatum
- Malus ‘Golden Hornet
- Amelanchier lamarckii
- Crataegus monogyna
- Arbutus unedo
- Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’
- Eucalyptus pauciflora subsp. niphophila
- Sorbus commixta ‘Embley’
- Prunus serrula
Name TEN shrubs suitable for growing in a domestic garden
- Hydrangea paniculata
- Euonymus alatus
- Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’
- Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’
- Buddleja davidii
- Fatsia japonica
- Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’
- Salvia rosmarinus
- Buxus sempervirens
Name FIVE trees grown for winter interest and FIVE grown for autumn display
Autumn
- Acer griseum
- Amelanchier x grandiflora ‘Ballerina’
- Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’
- Acer palmatum
- Sorbus commixta ‘Embley’
- Parrotia persica
Winter
- Prunus serrula
- Betula utilis subsp. Jacqemontii ‘Moonbeam’
- Acer davidii ‘George Forrest’
- Alnus incana ‘Aurea’
- Acer griseum
Name FIVE shrubs grown for winter interest and FIVE grown for autmn display
Autumn
- Euonymus alatus
- Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion
- Clerodendrum trichotomum
- Rhus typhina
- Rosa rugosa ‘Rubra
Winter
- Cornus alba ‘Sibirica
- Lonicera fragrantissima
- Daphne bholua
- Hamamelis x intermedia
- Chimonanthus praecox
- Viburnum x bodnantense
Name FIVE lime-hating trees or shrubs
- Camellia japonica
- Arbutus unedo
- Erica cineraria
- Rhododendrum ‘Golden Torch’
- Magnolia x soulangeana
- Acer palmatum
- Vaccinium corymbosum
Name FIVE busuh roses suitable for growing in a rose bed, including cluster-flowered (floribuna) and large-flowered (hybrid tea) examples
- Rosa ‘Iceberg (f)
- Rosa ‘Dainty Bess’ (ht)
- Rosa ‘Trumpeter’ (f)
- Rosa ‘Mountbatten’ (f)
- Rosa ‘Nostalgia’ (ht)
Name FIVE climbers and FIVE wall shrubs suitable for a variety of garden situations including shaded and north-facing
Climber
- Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris fs and N)
- Lonicera periclymenum (ps, N)
- Trachelospermum jasminoides ( ps)
- Parthenocissus henryana
- Clematis ‘Sally’
Wall shrub
- Cotoneaster horizontalis
- Pyracantha ‘Saphyr Orange’
- Ceanthus ‘Concha’
- Camellia japonica
- Garrya elliptica ‘James Roof’
Describe the soil preparation and planting for trees and woody shrubs
To include timing, site preparation (cultivation, addition of ameliorants, mycorrhiza and/or fertiliser), specification (bare-root, root ball, container-grown);
planting techniques (tools, depth and spacing, staking and protection);
formative pruning, mulching and watering
When to plants trees and woody shrubs
Bare root: Late autumn to early spring (Oct to April) - need to be planted immediately
Root-ball: Best between October and April - need to be planted immediately
Container-grown: Best in autumn or winter for least watering
Soil prep for trees and woody shrubs
As previously described
DIG - loosen soil to depth equivalent to height of rootball and over a wider area to eliminate compaction and improve drainage
SPRINKLE - not recommended to aplly fertiliser at planting time but on poor soils can sprink mycorrhizal fungi over and in contact with roots which may help them to establish
FORK
RAKE
WALK
RAKE
How to plant a tree or shrub
- Remove from container or fabric wrapping
- Trim potbound roots and spread the roots out of bare-root plants to get an idea of their spread / not needed to trim or tease out roots from rootballs that aren’t rootbound - don’t do this for magnolia or eucalyptus they don’t like root disturbance
- Use a spade to dig a planting hole that is no deeper than the roots but is ideally at least 3x the diameter of the root system
- If the sides of the planting hole are compacted - break soil up with a fork before planting
- In grassed areas - circle planting holes aid mowing but square holes aid root penetration at the corners on heavy soils
- Soak bare-rooted trees or shrubs for about 30mins before planting / give containerised plants a good water before taking them out of their pots
- Place tree or shrub in planting hole and position so that first flare of roots are level with the soil surface when planting is complete / in container-grown plants the top layer of compost may need to be scraped away to reveal the flare roots / if planted too deep roots don’t get enought air movements and the lower trunk is more vulnerable to disease and can lead to poor establishment
- Insert a stake if required / not required for small trees but top-heavy or larger specimen trees should be staked (prevents wind rock and movement of roots as this can damage new roots slowing doen establishment - they take a couple of years to anchor themselves firmly. / stake ⅓ height of tree / inserted before planting on the side of the prevailing wind so that tree is blown away from stake (bare-root - single stake) / double stake for container-grown and root-balled trees - 2-3 stakes inserted on opposite sides to other or equally spaced / outside the root ball / secured to trunk with long ties / useful also on windy sites
- Refill planting hole carefully, placing soil between and around all the roots to eliminate air pockets
- Firm soil gently, avoiding compacting the soil into a hard mass
- Water in
- Protect from deer or rabbit damage / using tree spirals, chicken wire guards or similar
Describe the aftercare of new planted tree or woody shrub
Watering: Drought stress is common - ensure well-watered even if it looks moist enough at the surface / be careful of overwatering too on poor draining soils and with automatic irrigation systems, these can lead to roots rotting
Weeding and mulching: Keep a vegetation-free circle at 1.2m in diameter around the plant for first three years to avoid weeds and lawns and other vegetation intercepting water before it reaches the roots of the newly planted tree
Mulching over the circle can be helpful, but not right up to the woody stems as that can lead to a risk of rotting the bark
Feeding: Fertilisers don’t need to be added at planting time - use a season after planting if the soil is poor or to boost growth if required. / If using micorrhizal fungi, don’t apply fertiliser at all as P ca suppress the fungus
Formative pruning: Corrective pruning of misshapen trees best carried ou while the tree is still young / could involve shortening or removing any competing leader and removind damged, dead or diseased wood. / Low sideshoots coming off the main trunk may also need removing in stages over the first few years if a clear trunk is desirable
Check stakes and ties: to ensure you make them bigger as the tree grows
Describe the routine maintenance for trees and woody shrubs, to include pruning and the control of weeds and common pests and diseases (aphids, powdery mildew, black spot of roses, canker, coral spot, honey fungus)
To include control of annual and perennial weeds (as previously described.
Pruning to include timing and methods for named spring flowering shrub (E.g. Forsythia x intermedia ‘Lynwood’) / summer flowering shrub (Buddleja davidii) / and a winter stem specimen (e.g Cornus alba)
Checking protection and ties, stakes;
control of aphids, powdery mildew and black spot on roses
coral spot on shrubs
canker and honey fungus on trees
Why prune?
Regular pruning stimulates young growth
To maintain the health of the plant
To control the shape of the plant - limit size
To encourage flowers and fruits - improve vigour
In emergencies: to do when see it: Damaged, Dead, Diseased (in that order)
Types of pruning
Formative pruning: forming the shape of the plant in its first few years (typically 3-5 years)
Maintenance pruning: keeping it in order once you’ve got it how you want it
Renovative pruning: to reset the plant after neglect or damage - hard prune - can’t do for all shrubs as they don’t regenerate from old wood e.g. lavendula, hebe
Pests on trees, woody shrubs and roses
Diseases for trees,
Diseases for woody shrubs and roses
