It took the entire summer to picture out the logistics , but I ’ve finally done it : I ’ve successfully implant a group of flowering crabapple Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree on artificially raised basis in my orchard , protecting their root from the frequently waterlogged undersoil below .
Have you ever limit your center on planting trees in a specific location , only to realize the soil condition are n’t idealistic ? That ’s what materialize to me . I ’d latched onto the idea of planting crabapple trees in two parallel words on a slope , with the belief of watching them spring a beautiful paseo of pinkish blossoms every spring .
In June , I labour the pickle in advance of ordering the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . Everything was complete … until the rains come .
I quickly discovered that my holes did n’t run out particularly well . Situated as they were on sloping ground , the bottom two holes in particular were knotty . Whenever an inch or so of rainwater fall , H2O would migrate down the squish terrain , fill the holes , and sit there for day on end with minimum draining .
I tried a few experiment to meliorate the soil drainage , including labor deeper holes to attempt and stop through the hardpan layer , but my elbow grease were stillborn .
Ultimately , I decided to employ a dissimilar access . I would raise the undercoat degree at the bottom of the incline and plant the two lowermost trees at an artificially elevated level .
Essentially , I would be embed the trees in araisedgardenbed , except the bed would be much larger than usual .
Read more : need to make a raised garden bed ? Here ’s how .
A Challenging Task
Such a job is more thought-provoking than it sound . Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree require a fortune of room to spread their roots . And the volume of filth required for raise plantings is hearty .
My flowering crabapples will eventually raise their crowns to a circumference of 20 feet , so each “ raised seam ” demand to be at least 20 feet by 20 groundwork to provide sufficient space for a mature tree .
Furthermore , I wanted the tops of my crab apple rootballs to sit about 8 inches above the surrounding ground , which create an impose mathematical final result . for raise a 20 - by-20 - foot area 8 inches high , I need 264 cubic feet of quality surface soil — and that ’s for a single tree .
To put this in position , fill a4 - groundwork - by-8 - foot trailerwith 12 inches of surface soil yields a loading of 32 cubic understructure . So I would need 8.25 lode to found one tree .
The need for an copiousness of topsoil is n’t the only challenge . Ironically , planting trees on raised ground think of you ’ll have to pay extra tending to keeping it water . The soil underneath might contain heap of piddle , but your raised bed will in all probability debilitate chop-chop , and you do n’t need your tree to suffer from drouth while it ’s getting established .
Erosionis also a concern . How will you keep your elicit ground in topographic point and prevent rain from washing you ’re cautiously - come in surface soil away ? retain walls built of rock , brick , wood , etc . may be necessary to keep the soil contain .
Read more : gibe out these baksheesh for dealing with hillside erosion .
Work in Progress
My planting are still a work in progress .
I was capable to source a lot of topsoil from the edge of a wooded maculation on my farm . But since my quick end was get the trees in the priming coat before autumn , I did n’t establish my rear planting to their full extent . alternatively , I made them 5 ft by 5 feet or so .
This provides just enough room for the tree to raise next saltation while I keep bringing in topsoil throughout 2021 .
To throttle corrosion and keep the dirt in lieu , I got originative . Rather than build irregular retaining walls , I or else took a shovel and chopped up section of sward around the planting area . I flipped them outwards and upside down ( aside from the holes ) to form perimeters of well - rooted grunge still partly attached to the ground by the root of dope and wild flower .
With the sod chunks answer as amazingly firm barrier , I was able to fill the Interior Department with a few small wagonloads of compost , packing it all down tightly to secure each tree in place .
practiced of all , I wo n’t require to remove the chunk of superoxide dismutase when I expand the raised planting next year . They ’ll just decompose and become an organic part of the soil .
Ultimately , I ’m happy with the way my observational planting labor turn out . I ’m confident my crabapple trees will appreciate sitting above the waterlogged ground , and I ’m looking forward to adding more soil and building the true retain wall in 2021 .
I wish I could use purecompostfor the projection — I‘ve experience plenty — but alas , I ’m concerned it would be too fertile for my trees . The last matter I want to do is glow their roots after going to such great length to avoid drowning them !
