How to choose a tree to plant for Arbour week

Posted by Hannelie Van As on 3 September 2010

It’s Arbour week right now. If you’re thinking of planting a tree, remember to choose your tree carefully. Think about the following:

Where are you going to plant the tree? In your garden? Keep water pipes in mind – some trees have a tendency to grow towards water pipes and root systems can break up paving or pre-cast walls.
How big should the tree be? Make sure you know how big the tree will become so that you don’t have to chop it down later due to its size. That seems like a terrible waste of a tree’s life!
Make sure the tree is suitable for your area, for instance is it frost-resistant, how well will it cope with the strong South Easter in the Western Cape?
Plant indigenous! They don’t only use less water, but they are also more suitable for local birds and insects. Remember, you are not only planting a tree, you are creating an ecosystem in your own back yard.
It’s always best to buy a tree from a nursery close to you. The nursery should be able to give you valuable tips and will know which trees are best suitable for your area.
As for the planting itself: make a square hole, about twice the depth of the tree, and give the tree some “breathing space” on the sides. Remember to give the tree the best possible chance to survive, so add some super phosphate and a few handfuls of bone meal.
Put some loose ground underneath the tree, place it in the hole and fill it up with good soil.
Water well just after planting, and again the next day, 2 days later, 3 days later, and then once a week for at least a month. (Unless it rains, of course.)
Trees of the year: fever tree and katjiepiering.