A lorry load of 1.5m tall Yews (Taxus baccata) turned up for planting this week – 88 of them in fact! I am fortunate to have a great team and a strong youth to help!
I did, however, have an important lesson to learn. A previous Yew hedge had suffered greatly in a wet winter with several plants dying. After much head scratching, we remembered that they had been planted by another team – and were planted way too deep.
Taxus do badly when their feet are in wet soil for prolonged periods. If they are also planted with the soil level way too far above the first roots, you are asking for trouble.
If planted too deeply, all plants will put a great deal of energy into trying to send out new roots to facilitate a regular intake of gases at a certain level. So, new plants in these conditions will be stressed by high moisture levels and the extra energy needed for new root growth.
If you are in doubt as to where the “nursery line” is (the natural soil level for the plant), take a careful look at the lower stem and you should be able to see a change in colour just above the highest roots.
Now is an excellent time to plant bare root roses and hedging, so it is useful to be mindful of the above. Other jobs to think about this month are:
• In milder areas, or when the warmer weather starts appearing, most hardy shrubs with hollow stems, such as Buddleja davidii and Perovskia can be pruned this month.
• Plant bare-root roses: adding organic matter will boost growth.
• Climbers that have become oversized can be cut back hard: honeysuckle and Boston Ivy (Parthenocissus respond well to this treatment).
• Whilst the tawny coloured stems of ornamental grasses such as Miscanthus and Calamagrostis are a joy to behold in the winter months, especially in the winter sunlight early spring is the time to cut them back to ground level. Wait until new growth can be seen before applying the chop.
• Clean up bamboo where stems have died back or collapsed over winter.
• Trim heathers after they have flowered to keep them compact and vigorous.
• Divide snowdrops to distribute them over a wider area.
• Cut back shrub roses by about one third, pruning to just above an outward pointing bud, trying to create an open, “bowl” shape to the rose. Cut off any suckers emerging from the root stock.
• Bird life will be looking to nest in spring so ensure all hedge trimming and renovation is completed by the end of the month.
February can feel like a long, unproductive month. But have a look at all the buds that are swelling, the number and variety of snowdrops and daffodils that are emerging, the lengthier days to enjoy walks and the catkins on the hazels, you will soon find that we are at the beginning of the season of nature’s miracles. Well, that’s what it looks like to me anyway.