Planting Season

In the UK, the traditional planting season runs from the start of October through to the end of March. However, with the recent shifts in weather due to the climate crisis, these dates are becoming less predictable. 

 

The planting season is specifically for bare root, and rootballed plants which will be noted in the planting schedule, typically as o.g. (open ground) or r.b. (rootballed). They are usually in a dormant state which helps reduce water from being lost from the upper parts of the tree when they have probably lost parts of their roots during transplanting. They can be planted out during the planting season as long as the ground is not frozen, waterlogged or covered in snow. They are chosen for several reasons. They are often cheaper to buy than container grown plants and quicker and therefore cheaper to plant too. They can also establish without the additional cost of maintenance when planting container grown plants outside the planting season. 

 

Last Sunday I was “supervising” a group of Quakers planting a memorial tree, which had bare roots and the leaves are starting to sprout which means that it is no longer dormant. We have given it the best start we could and will be able to keep an eye on it each week. 

 

Container grown plants can be planted at any time of year, but they will often require additional care in order to become established. A word of warning: be aware of the difference between containerised and container grown plants. Containerised plants are bare root plants which have recently been put in a container. Container grown plants have been grown and become established in the pots and are much better suited to planting outside the traditional planting season. 

 

Want to know more? 

 

Please do not hesitate to drop Hilary a line - info@allchangeconsulting.co.uk for a discussion on how we can collaborate to enhance your projects. 

 

 

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