How not to plant a tree

In this video, we point out what is wrong with the support on this newly planted tree that was planted near our nursery in Somerset. If you would like to watch a video on how to plant a tree, watch our ‘how to plant an ornamental tree’ video.

TRANSCRIPT

This is an object lesson in how not to plant a tree.

I’m looking at Glastonbury, Tor. That's due west of me. So the image at present, you can see the light in the sky and it's afternoon in winter. And I'm pointing south-west. So that's where the wind comes from. Approximately 320 days of the year.

We therefore ought to put the stake on the other side of the tree. It's simply on the wrong side. If it was on the other side of the tree, the wind would blow the tree away from the cross beam, so it would rub less. You have the elastic in the band around it (whatever kind of tie you use is probably fairly elastic) which gives it a little bit of give rather than effectively trying to break it over the equivalent of someone’s knee. It helps a little bit and stops a bit of the rubbing.

If there wasn't a block it would have skimmed the bark off by now against that cross-beam.

This is how not to plant a tree.