We slept badly at our house a few nights ago. Probably, a lot of you did the same. We were kept awake by the howling wind that ripped across the island, and our fears for what it would do to our gardens.
At first light, I braved the storm and headed outside. As I feared, it looked like a crime scene. Antique pots lay smashed on the ground, and a few small trees had been uprooted. Further up on our property, I found an olive tree on its side, roots in the air. I’d guess it’s about sixty years old, perhaps more. Unfortunately, we had planted a small lawn around it, which was watered in the summer. Olive trees hate being watered in the summer, and this weakened the roots enough for the wind to topple them.
We quickly got the roots packed with dirt and wrapped them in cloth. Our chances of saving the tree are good, though it can’t stay where it was. Moving it to a drier location will be like a military operation because of its size. We’ll need to drag it elsewhere, replant it, give it a hard pruning, and prop it up with a wooden structure until the roots take hold again.
It’s lucky that this happened in winter. It’s cold and damp: the perfect time to plant trees that thrive for years to come. Unfortunately, too many people wait until the weather is gorgeous before they even think about the garden.
It happens every year. The first t-shirt day of the year dawns sunny and warm. Beautiful spring weather. Gardeners jump in their cars and head to the garden centre to buy trees.
This is the first big mistake. It may be perfect for a human being to be outside digging, but it’s not the right time for the poor tree. The majority of perenial plants should be planted in late winter. This gives them the opportunity to develop a strong root system. This is vital if the plant is to survive our brutal summers.
Here are some other mistakes I see people making. They place trees a few feet from a wall or they plant them a few feet apart. You only need to wander around any neighbourhood on the island to see misshapen trees wedged in next to walls. Not only does this stress the plant, but there’s a risk the roots will damage the building foundations. You don’t want somebody jostling up against you and invading your personal space, and neither does your tree. Give them plenty of space to grow.
Another mistake people make is to choose fruit trees with tiny fruit already hanging on the branches. They see themselves picking fruit later that same year. Nothing could be worse for a tiny tree. This is like expecting a ten-year old girl to give birth to a healthy baby. The first job of a young transplanted tree is to divert all of its energy to the roots. Strong roots will keep the tree anchored in the ground and will allow the tree to take up the water and nutrition it will need to produce fruit in the future. Do your tree a favour and pick off those tiny developing fruits before they damage the mother’s health.
There’s a whole science behind where to place trees. Here are just a few things to consider. Our summers are scorching hot, especially in the afternoon. Shade trees are most appropriate on the west side of your property. They block the worst of the afternoon sun. Deciduos trees are best for this. They drop their leaves in winter and allow afternoon warmth when we need it the most. These are great choices since they are also drought-tolerant: Mulberry (Morus alba), Fig (Ficus carica), and Persian Silk Tree (Albizia julibrissin). Be warned, mulberrys shouldn’t be planted too close to foundations as the roots can travel several feet and interfere with foundations. Silk trees are beautiful but are very messy when the flowers fall.
High winds are a fact of life on a small island. If like me, you were impacted by the recent storm, you might consider planting a wind break on the edge of your land. The prevailing wind, at least where I live, is from the Northwest. I have rows of cypresses on some areas along that side of our property. They really help break up the wind. I took advantage of one of these wind breaks to plant dragon fruits last year and they stayed completely safe.
It won’t be long before spring is with us. There’s still time now to get some trees in the ground before that happens. Yes, it’s cold and unpleasant out there, but you won’t regret it later.
Fern Penrose
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