Planting trees is an investment in the future and there is something very uplifting about seeing a tree that started life as small sapling, reaching for the sky! There are trees and hedgerow shrubs for every situation and the good news is that now is the season to plant bare rooted trees. Bare root plants are dormant (not actively growing) perennial plants that are dug up and stored without any soil around their roots. Once you place the plant in the ground or in potting soil and add moisture, the plant will start to grow again.
There are also a number of advantages when planting bare root hedges and trees over potted ones: they are cheaper, easier to handle in bulk and more environmentally friendly as there are no plastic containers and less water required for their growing and delivery.
The best news of all is that November to April is the best time to plant bare rooted trees.
The alder above all started life as tiny whips salvaged on the side of the road.
Tree facts
- Ireland has just 11% of its land covered with trees
- Native trees cover just 2% of Ireland
- Most native Irish woodlands are tiny
- The majority of the Ireland’s forests are conifer plantations from the twentieth century
- In Europe, forests cover around 35% of the land area
- Trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen
- Woodland are home to thousands of species of insect, bird, mammals and plants – our biodiversity
- Trees help to prevent flooding by storing rain and releasing it slowly
Useful and interesting websites
Crann is Irish for ‘tree’ and this website is all about the trees. They have a database on trees found in Ireland, plus lots of other useful information for the tree lover including guidelines on planting and grants for tree planting.
http://www.treecouncil.ie/
The Tree Council is dedicated to fostering a tree culture in Ireland through raising awareness and education. There are some very nice guides and posters available through their website and also an option to sponsor a tree.
https://www.treesontheland.com/one-million-trees-in-one-day
Trees on the Land is a cross-border initiative working to establish young native trees across the 32 counties of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Applications for trees for planting in spring 2021 are now closed but they will add you to the mailing list for 2022 planting, please email to info@treesontheland.com
http://www.nativewoodlandtrust.ie
The Native Woodland Trust is dedicated to the preservation of Ireland’s remaining ancient woodlands and to the restoration of Ireland’s original climax ecosystems, through the re-recreation of woodlands, using only native seed.
Teagasc has a lot of useful resources including a list of recommended tree nurseries.
See link below.
https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/crops/forestry/advice/tree-nursery-contact-list.pdf
Future Forests is one of the suppliers recommended by Teagasc and has a lot of very useful information on their website about bare rooted trees and shrubs including diagrams like the one below.
Song by Seamus Heaney
A rowan like a lipsticked girl.
Between the by-road and the main road
Alder trees at a wet and dripping distance
Stand off among the rushes.
