The Gardening thread.....

[Covenant]

I had a massive willow taken down last October. It was a relief as it was leaning on the back fence and shading the garden. Got a flowering crab ordered to replace it. Any planting advice-size of hole, compost, what to feed it with?

[guy]

Willows are shallow rooted, but the roots really spread (I think further than most trees). The willow is also very good at extracting nutrients (and water)from the soil - "greedy".
So I would guess that you have a large area, extending two or three times the height of the "massive" tree, where the soil will be barren
I would get some composted horse manure (I am extending my border in to an area where there used to be a very large Christmas tree, so my soil would also be drained of nutrients and lacking in humus, which is why I am using manure). and dig it in to a spade depth or more.
I used "mr muck" for the manure - not a bad price, and recommended by the RHS I believe.

"Dig the hole for the tree as deep as the root ball and two to three times as wide. When you set the tree in the hole, the soil line on the tree should be even with the surrounding soil. Fill the hole half full with soil and water well to remove the air pockets. When the soil settles and the water drains through, finish filling the hole and water thoroughly."

Read more at Gardening Know How: Flowering Crabapple Trees: Learn How To Plant A Crabapple Tree https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/orn...pple-trees.htm

[Covenant]

Thanks thats very helpful,
I will have a look at organic manure locally. Its only one tree so dont neat a huge amount. I have loads of bark from the willow spread over my borders. Could I mix some of that in do you think?

[guy]

I wouldn't mix the bark with the top soil, but by all means lay it on top.

If you mix the bark with the soil: as the bark starts to decompose, Nitrogen from the soil will be "tied up" in the rotting bark by the microbes which need it to do their job - effectively "robbing" the plant roots of nutrients.

Laying bark on top is beneficial - couple of inches thick will suppress weeds, help to retain moisture and your ornamental crab roots will be deep enough to not be affected. On the top of the soil, the bark will take longer to decompose which I think is a good thing as it will do its mulching job for longer.

[walpurgis]

Right, first garden job of the year done. De-crapping the lawn! The pooch left about twelve pounds of poo there over the winter. There's no way I'm squelching about over the winter to clear it up.

[guy]

Crikey - over winter
I try to poo pick on a weekly basis and always wonder whether I am feeding the little dear too much

[Roy S]

My neighbour’s kindly replaced my fence for me

[guy]

During the last week:
built three obelisks from cobnut branches
extended border
dug in horse manure and working around old border, removing/refreshing old plants
jest washed fence panels and ordered fence paint and sprayer.

Hopefully a new look for Summer - photo's to follow

[hifi_dave]

Just had a massive Walnut tree cut down and left with a lot of space I never realised was there. I now want to plant a couple of Apple trees in it's place but I believe they have to be different types to get fruit. Is that correct and what do I look out for ?

The Apple I want is Cox, as they seem impossible to get in the supermarket and are my favourite.

[struth]

hi, yes you need two varieties. get ones in containers. try ebay, or go to a garden centre when they open. i got mine from ebay.

i got 4 and i get a fair amount of apples. if you keep them from getting too big you would be better with 4. spaced out, with a thought for wind as well as bees etc, they should cross polinate well. they dont need to be huge to get apples