Care and attention are required when choosing specimen trees for the garden. When selecting a tree, there are several rules to follow to help ensure your purchase succeeds.
Choosing a garden tree
Autumn is a great time to plant a tree - as you can choose from container-grown and bare-rooted. Container-grown trees can be planted at more or less any time of year, but will need good, regular watering after planting to ensure good establishment.
Selecting and buying a tree is not always straightforward. The following are some appropriate points to consider.
Decide your tree requirements before going to the nursery or garden centre: what will your chosen tree’s height and spread be in five years? Is the tree to be deciduous or evergreen, single- or multistemmed, vigorous or slow growing?
Examine your site conditions: is the soil dry or moist, rich or poor, in a sunny or shaded position? For example, acers require dappled shade and rich soils; robinias need sunlight and good drainage.
Check the practicality of bringing a large tree into the garden - confirm access and proximity to drainage channels.
Decide between a bare-root or container-grown tree. Bare-root trees are cheaper but only available in autumn and winter, while container-grown trees are more expensive and available all year around. Root-balled trees are halfway between the two: field grown but lifted and the roots tightly wrapped in hessian or similar, then left for a season to grow new fibrous roots before sale.
Top-heavy trees are vulnerable to snapping in high winds, so ensure the canopy of the tree is in proportion to the diameter of its trunk.
Beware root girdling of containerised trees (left), or dead fibrous roots, indicating poor irrigation. For bare-root trees, avoid those with main roots that are torn, split, or stripped of fibrous growth.
Never accept delivery of any tree where the roots arrive uncovered or dried out.
Check there are no unhealed wounds on the tree trunk or main branches.
If evergreen, or in leaf, ensure the leaves are healthy and there is no distortion in growth.
Check your guarantees. These may be limited and further reduced if you do not pay for an additional planting service.
Fiona Dennis