Planting 22/23

 Planting 2022/23.

The planting season started very early the first tree being planted August 31st. The area felled/pollarded for the planting in 21/22 was actually slightly larger than the number of trees required so a wipe round with the brush cutter and the glyphosate was all that was required before planting could start in September. Though a large area was still needing to be cleared. The country was still in drought though there had been a bit of rain, and there was rain in the forecast. The ground was drier than anticipated but watering the trees in had always been the intention. During the drought I had watered the new plantings. The dead dry soil would not absorb water that was directed at the plantings from a watering can. To get water to the roots required, giving several short dashes of water and waiting for the water to soak in before adding any more. This was very time consuming. I am planting the pint pots that the trees were in next to them so that if watering is required next year it will be quicker. The pots can be filled up quickly and the water drain into the roots in it's own time. It would also be less wasteful in hot weather.

I do not have enough mesh tree guards for all the trees but do not need enough to justify a bulk order. I am recycling used spirals for last year's eucalypts and taking the mesh guards off them for this year's planting. I have also cut some guards off trees that are thick enough not to be badly damaged by fraying or gnawing. I had been cutting the mesh off and sewing up the mesh part and useing it to increase the height of a 60cm guard  by stacking it on top, to protect from deer. Now I am taping up the base of the repaired guard, so it is full height, and using on fresh trees.

I finished planting in November. Planting sites were spot sprayed in October as were last years plantings. since then it has been mainly wet and windy. The was a cold snap for a week at the start of December with a couple of night at -5 C tough air temperatures probably got above freezing frost in the shade did not melt.  Some of the newly planted Eucs do look as though they have been affected. How badly remains to be seen.

The area planted Autumn 2022 with Taiwania and E. viminalis, the later may have been touched by the very cold snap at the start of December. The Pollards will be removed later.

The last area to be felled will be planted in the 2023 Autumn. Not only did it get covered by leaves that fell from the trees it was also covered by brash from the area that was planted and had to be cleared. The bigger brash has now been dragged away. The result is an unnaturally thick leaf mulch that will supress weeds till the spring.