TREE PLANTING SEASON

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 June 1939, Page 5

TREE PLANTING SEASON

PREPARATION OF GROUND. No time should be lost in making a decision regarding the flowering trees it is proposed to plant in the garden. If new ground is being dealt with, or if the trees are to be planted on the lawn, it is important that the sites be thoroughly prepared beforehand. If one is fortunate enough to possess a deep, well drained, loamy soil, little preparation will be needed beyond

workifig it to a depth of two or two and a-half feet. Unfortunately most garden owners have little choice ih the matter of soils, and the preparation may entail considerable labour. Thorough preparation Will, however, in the long run, save much disappointment. Heavy clay soils that are apt to be waterlogged during ‘ winter, may need to be drained, or they ffiay be improved and rendered more suitable by adding gritty material or stable manure. It may even be advisable to raise the planting sites slightly by a series of mounds of ridges. By this means, the contours of a flat piece of ground are pleasingly varied. When a portion of the garden can be laid out in this way, ideal situations are created for the planting of autumn and spring flowering bulbs. When dealing with poor, sandy or gravelly soils, it may be necessary to remove some of the underlying sand or gravel and replace it with loam. In any case, such soils should be deeply worked, breaking up the underlying sand cr gravel, mixing it with loam, decayed manure of partially decayed leave's, ill fact, anything that will add to the hiimus content of the soil. When this is done, it is surprising how a variety of plants will flourish in what are usually regarded as impossible situations. Where It is desired to plant lafge specimen trees oh lawiis, the planting site should be. six feet In diameter, and should be thoroughly prepared ih the way advised. For several years, until the trees have reached considerable size, the site must be kept cultivated; the grass not being allowed to grow up to the trunk of the tree. There is fortunately a large variety of trees and shrubs to choose from. Many of them arc) of moderate size and well suited for small gardens as well as large ones. The only difference being | that whereas the small garden owner may have to be content with one specimen of any particular tree, in the large gardens, they can be massed with great effect.