AROUND THE GARDEN
WORDS: ROSIE YEOMANS
Keep mulch away from the tree trunk to avoid causing the bark to rot
Mulch trees to retain moisture for spring growth
Mulch trees now when the soil moisture content is at its peak and before the trees start to draw water out of the surrounding ground as they begin growing again in spring.
First, weed around the base of the tree and water if the weather has been dry for a while. Next, pour on a 5-10cm thick layer of homemade compost, leafmould or rotted manure.
Make sure that the compost doesn’t touch the woody trunk because it will rot the bark and eventually damage the tree’s ability to supply water up through to the leaves.
Coppice hazels
Cut hazels back to the ground to harvest both the poles and twiggy branches at the top to use as garden supports. This is known as coppicing and is done with a pruning saw, cutting hard back.
Cut the heavier branches partway on one side first, then saw from the opposite side to prevent the wood splitting under the weight.