Preparing your site for planting native trees is crucial for their successful growth and long-term health. While the best preparation techniques can vary depending on your specific site conditions, there are a few key steps everyone should follow to ensure the best outcomes.
1. Reduce Competition
One of the most important steps is to reduce competition from other plants, especially grasses and weeds. Here's how you can do it effectively:
Spot-Spraying: This method involves spraying specific areas where you plan to plant your trees. We recommend using glyphosate, and for our customers we use a special mix that includes a long-acting herbicide to keep the grass from growing back too quickly. This is crucial because fast-growing grass can hinder the growth of your new plants, especially during the spring.
Hard Grazing: While this can be an option, be aware that the grass will likely grow back quickly in the spring, which could impact your new plants' growth. Spot-spraying tends to be more effective in the long run.
2. Weed Removal
Take a year off from planting if necessary to focus on removing tough weeds like blackberry, gorse, and privet. These climbing weeds are particularly hard to control once your plants are in the ground, so tackling them beforehand with a brush killer is the best approach.
3. Monitor before planting
Once you’ve dealt with the main competition from grass and weeds, make sure you keep the grass low and continue to monitor and spray as needed to control over-competing vegetation.
By following these steps, you'll create an optimal planting environment for your native trees to thrive.
