Planting bare root whips

In order to plant your tree you will need: a spade, a rabbit guard, a cane and some mulch.

Make sure the roots of the tree do not dry out. If it needs to be stored for a couple of days it can be left in the plastic bag in a cool place. If you need to store it for longer you should heel it in by covering the roots with soil.

Dig a hole large enough for the roots to spread out evenly. (About 1/3 bigger than the size of the roots.)

Backfill with soil, gently shake the tree up and down to work the soil around the roots firm around the tree in stages by treading with the heel.

Firmly press a bamboo cane into the ground next to the base of the tree. Starting from the bottom of the tree wrap the guard around the tree and cane making sure there are no gaps in the guard.

Finish off with some mulch to limit the weed growth at the base of the tree and you are ready to enjoy watching it grow.

Hedge Planting. You would plant the whips for a hedge in the same way as you would any other whip (see Planting whips above) but the spacing is important. It is normal to plant a double row with 4 plants to the metre. You should leave a gap of 50cm between the trees in the same row and 40-45cm between the two parallel rows in a zigzag as shown above. If there is only room for one row plant 30cm apart.

Selecting a natural mixed hedgeNatural mixed hedges are mainly made up of Hawthorn and a selection from the following 14 species.

Alder Buckthorn/Rhamnus Frangula - Field Maple/Acer Campestre

Blackthorn/Prunus Spinosa - Guelder Rose/Viburnum Opulus

Crab Apple/Malus Sylvestris - Hazel/Corylus Avellana

Dog Rose/Cornus Sanguinea - Spindle/Euronymus Europeaus

Elder/Sambucus Nigra - Wayfarer/Viburnum Lantana

Goat Willow/Salix Caprea - Wild Privet/Ligustrum Vulgare