As we wake up to frost on our cars and the heating bill increasing over the next few months, it’s safe to say that the love-hate relationship we have with Winter is upon us. Bare roots are being lifted and now is the perfect time to plant them in preparation for a bloom in spring. Here at Hedges Direct we have many planting essentials that can help the growth and development of your hedges and make Winter gardening that bit easier.
Topsoil
When planting a new hedge or tree it is always advised to check the quality of your soil. Plants require a certain amount of nutrients in order to thrive and all plants look for these nutrients in the first 5-20 cm (2-8inches) of the soil, hence the name Topsoil! This is the ideal, easy solution to improving your soil ready for new plantings. Topsoil is a specially selected, graded product and, as the name suggests, is the top layer of the soil – the upper 2-8 inches to be more precise. This section of the soil plays an important role when planting new hedges and shrubs as it supplies the bulk of the nutrients and it’s where the majority of growth takes place for the first few growing seasons.
Topsoil has a variety of uses in the garden, suited to the planting of hedges, shrubs and trees, whilst also being beneficial to new turf. From levelling your planting surface to increasing the nutrient count in the soil, topsoil is the perfect planting product and reduces the need to apply further compost or fertiliser.
For all round improvement and a nutrient boost for new plants, topsoil is the go-to option.
Rootgrow
No garden should be without this planting companion. Made from a combination of native fungi, known as mycorrhizal fungi, Rootgrow is an all-natural product that is hugely beneficial to the roots of plants and the surrounding soil. When applied to the root system during planting, Rootgrow provides a sort of secondary root system that gives the plant easy access to the nutrients in the soil as well as reducing the impact of drought and other environmental factors that can affect establishment.
It only takes one Rootgrow treatment to reap the benefits and notice a difference to your plants within a few weeks.
How much will I need?
Rootgrow can be applied in a granule form, to sprinkle into the planting hole, or made into a gel, ideal for dipping bare roots. Except for the 150g packet, which is granule only, all of the Rootgrow sizes can be made into a gel formula or sprinkled. We recommend using the gel method for bare roots, as the paste will go much further and be more cost effective than granules. Use the table below to calculate how much Rootgrow you’ll need, note that we have based this table on the use of the gel for bare roots and granules for all others. Usage is approximate as root sizes vary by species.
Don’t forget if you are ordering Rootgrow with Box bare roots then please add 20% to the recommended usage level to allow for the large root system.
Well-rotted organic matter
Adding well-rotted organic matter such as compost or manure to your soil is both a traditional and effective way to improve your soil. You can start by improving the texture, digging into the soil and breaking up any large lumps which will be helpful to the root systems of new plants trying to establish. You can then dig in about half a wheel-barrow full of organic matter, ensuring as you dig back over you are making sure it’s fully incorporated into your soil.
The list of benefits associated with adding organic matter to your soil include: increasing the nutrients in the soil; improving the structure which provides easy access to the nutrients; improving the water holding capability; and attracting worms and other insects that play a part in continually improving the health of your soil.
