King and Co’s advisory article on how you should look after your trees with a selection of our accessories.
Our selection of trees that are are able to tolerate more drought-prone locations in the UK.
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Having spent a good deal of hard-earned money investing in your new trees, it is crucial that they receive enough water, especially during the first few growing seasons after planting. In this article, we’ll share best practices for irrigating trees to help you provide the right amount of water, ensuring they survive the growing season and remain healthy!
To help your new tree thrive, proper watering is crucial, especially in its initial years. Tree roots absorb water and nutrients from the soil to stay healthy. However, the root systems of newly planted trees aren’t yet established enough to efficiently absorb water from the surrounding soil. This is why a regular watering schedule is essential to aid their development.
As your tree establishes itself in its new location, its need for watering will decrease. However, it’s vital to keep the soil consistently moist for the first few years after planting. If the soil lacks sufficient moisture, the roots can dry out and die back, potentially leading to stunted growth or even the loss of your tree.
At our nursery, we are fortunate to have boreholes that pump natural water directly from the ground into holding tanks, which supply our pressurised irrigation system. The trees in our production areas, fixed to tree lines, receive a set amount of water three times throughout the evening and hours of darkness. Once they leave the nursery, it’s up to you to ensure your trees receive enough water to keep the soil moist.
Here are some helpful watering tips:
1. Water in the early morning or evening. Morning watering allows the tree to absorb moisture throughout the day, while evening watering minimizes water loss due to evaporation. Avoid watering during the hottest part of the day, as much of the moisture will evaporate before reaching the roots.
2. Recommended volume. As a guide, we recommend giving each tree approximately 5 litres of water every second day during the growing season. This volume is a good starting point for maintaining consistently moist soil. However, you’ll need to regularly check the soil to ensure it’s not becoming too wet or too dry. It is up to you to adjust the volume as required.
3. Direct water at the base. Direct the water at the base of the trunk, making sure it soaks into the soil around the roots. Avoid watering the leaves, as this can lead to fungal issues or leaf scorch. Using a rose attachment on your hose or watering can will help reduce runoff and improve water absorption.
Following these tips will help your new tree flourish! It’s important to avoid both over and under watering. If the soil becomes too dry, it can stress the tree, and if it’s oversaturated, the roots won’t be able to access the oxygen in the surrounding soil. Please note that rainfall is often not enough, especially during dry spells.
For added convenience, you might consider installing a tree watering bag or using a root rain irrigation system. These tools deliver water slowly and directly to the root zone, promoting deep root growth and long-term resilience. Tree watering bags are particularly useful if you’re planning to go away on holiday!
We hope this helped to highlight the best practices for irrigating trees! If you have any questions please contact our knowledgeable sales staff!
Around this time of year, we are keenly anticipating the swelling buds of the flowering Japanese Maples.
We are now approaching the optimum time to plant fruit trees. View our range of fruit trees for sale here.
King and Co sell a range of fruit trees in the UK.
We have now run into a spell of very cold weather, the winter flowering cherry tree can bring a pink warmth to your garden however.
(more…)There is much confusion around Brexit where trees and plants are concerned. (more…)
Now that Christmas is fading into the distance, a reminder that there is no time to lose with bareroot plantings. Remember to account for the lead time required for obtaining all your plants and accessories.
It’s one of our favourite evergreens for screening and hedging, but you may be asking yourself why is Photinia Red Robin so popular? Take a look at informative article to discover the different Photinia varieties we stock, their features and the benefits of planting!
As part of the Rose family, the Photinia genus includes around 50 to 60 different species of attractive small trees and shrubs. At King & Co we typically stock popular Photinia varieties including Photinia ‘Red Robin’, ‘Pink Marble’, and ‘Carre Rouge’. In addition to these readily available options, we have also stocked other interesting varieties such as ‘Little Red Robin’, ‘Louise’, ‘Pink Crispy’, and ‘Compacta’. As our stock is frequently updated, please feel free to contact us to inquire about the current availability of these or any other specific Photinia varieties you might be interested in!
Photinia ‘Red Robin’ – One of the most popular and flexible plants sold in the UK today, Photinia is a very fast growing, dense evergreen plant. Easy to grow and quick to establish in your garden, Red Robin is perfect for colour and privacy. It has brilliant red young leaves, which later transform into a glossy green, and a profusion of white flowers in April and May.
Photinia ‘Pink Marble’ – Striking variegated foliage that emerges red with a green tint and pink margin. This foliage then matures to dark green with a creamy margin.
Photinia ‘Carre Rouge’ – Shares a strong resemblance with the popular ‘Red Robin’, distinguished by its slightly smaller foliage that exhibits a deeper shade of red.
At King & Co we have these Photinia varieties available in several forms, including standard and half standard trees, elegant pleached trees, and stylish espaliers. We also stock Photinia as bushy hedging plants and neatly clipped balls!
Our standard and pleached trees are a fantastic option if you’re looking to add more privacy to your outdoor space. Both styles are grown with a 6ft clear stem so their heads of foliage can screen above a fence line to create an effective natural barrier! For a similar effect against lower walls, or as striking features beside doorways, our half standard trees are ideal. They also work wonderfully to introduce height and dimension to garden spaces.
Just like pleached trees, espalier plants are trained onto a frame to develop a wider and flatter shape. These plants are a popular choice for planting near paths or around patio seating areas. They are excellent for areas where space is limited.
Photinia hedging plants can be planted closely to create a dense, formal hedge or allowed to grow into an open, upright shrub. Whereas, the clipped balls can be clipped to maintain an ornamental shape that provides excellent year-round structure to a garden. In fact, trimming will help to reinvigorate the plant so that it produces new buds holding rich, bright red leaves!
Photinia is a hardy plant that can tolerate temperatures as low as -10°C and is quite adaptable to most moist, well-draining soils. Just be sure to avoid planting in overly wet areas. Consistent watering is particularly important during the first few growing seasons. After that, your Photinia should generally take care of itself. For more in-depth advice, you might find our article on watering newly planted trees helpful. We also have a video guide specifically for Photinia Red Robin, if you’d like to take a look!!
Hopefully this helped to showcase this attractive evergreen and explain why Photinia is so popular. To explore whether this plant is right for your garden, we invite you to visit our website for more information and images. You can also get in touch with us by replying to this email or visit our nursery in Essex. If you decide to place an order, you’re welcome to come to our nursery to hand-select your trees, hedging plants, or shrubs, ensuring you get exactly what you envision for your outdoor space.
Read More:
Photinia trees used to block the view of an unsightly factory
Expert guide to Photinia
Photinia Planting Guide
Photinia – Hedge and Trees
In this article, we explain how we have grown our own Oak (Quercus) trees with acorns. And how to buy oak trees online.
(more…)You can buy trees, hedging, shrubs and topiary online by browsing our website.
If you do not see a plant or size that is suitable for you then please call as we stock a wide variety of plants in our tree nursery. It’s worth noting that many other websites sell other people’s stock (i.e. they act as an agent) so you cannot view the products at their own site. At King & Co, all of our advertised plants are available for viewing at our tree nursery in Rayne, near Braintree, situated just over an hours drive out of London.
Our knowledgeable and experienced tree nursery staff are always contactable via phone on 01376 340469 or if you have any questions regarding any of our trees or accessories.
If you cannot see what you require on our website, please complete the enquiry form. We will give it our urgent attention and will get back to you shortly with a solution that meets your needs.
If you are looking for specific evergreen trees, Photinia, Leylandii hedging, Leylandii trees, instant hedging or shrubs, use the search bar at the top of the page
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