Which tree's to plant

Freshgrass · Hazel Tree Joined: 27 Mar 2009 Posts: 3

I'm interested in planting trees around my dairy farm this year.I would be interested in people's ideas of which tree's to plant.?Im planning on planting them along wires that split paddocks and along cow tracks.I'm farming in Cork and our soils would be sandy/clay.

Liparis · Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 10:17 pm Post subject:

You couldn't do better than planting a wildlife hedge of trees. Is it for decoration or keeping in livestock? If the latter, then Hawthorn, Holly, a Prunus here and there like sloes, bird cherry, and Gean (wild Cherry) Oak, Sycamore, Ash, Chestnut. Make your basic hedge with the Hawthorn and use the others dotted in along the legnth to give a bit hieght and character. Put in a hazel or two and a few dog roses as well.
If it's just decorative as in you would find in an avenue, then you could use many of the same species but placed further apart so they grow as trees rather than hedge.
Bill.

Sive · Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 10:23 pm Post subject:

Welcome, Freshgrass.......and good luck with the tree planting....your grandchildren will thank you for your vision. Just think of all the magnificent trees we enjoy nowadays that were planted by our grandparents' generation. We all need to keep planting more and more trees.
If you want to leave a legacy for many generations, plant native oaks....and the wildlife will benefit too.

James Kilkelly, was GPI. · Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 1:58 am Post subject:

Great advice all round.
More on the native Irish trees here....... Native Irish Trees --- List of Trees Native to Ireland

Liparis · Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 12:05 pm Post subject:

A study done back in the 1970's produced a list of beneficial trees to plant. They spent several years finding out which trees attracted and held the largest amounts of insect life which then attracted birds then predators. In otherwords I suppose those which were good for setting up chains. I can't remember all the top ten, but in first place was Quercus robur; english Oak, very closely followed by Salix caprea: goat willow or great sallow, and in third place was Acer pseudoplatanus: Common Sycamore. This was by mtr3
There's a good place to start. That's where I always start.
Sive, I agree, we should all plant at least one tree each. I have planted one tree in commemoration of the Birth of each of my children and each of my grandchildren. The death of close friends are commemorated the same way. My marriage is commemorated like that as well. I see no better way to remember someone or to celebrate something.
By the way, do you know that young trees consume far greater amounts of CO2 than mature trees?
Bill.

Sive · Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 3:19 pm Post subject:

Hi Bill, I use a table in Chris Baines' book called "How to Make a Wildlife Garden"......in it he lists the trees that support the greatest number of insect species.
Here goes: Oaks (Quercus Robur and Q. Petraea ) 284 (wow!) Silver birch (betula pendula) 229 Downy Birch (betula pubescens) 200+ White Willow (salix alba) 200+ Hawthorn 149.

After that the numbers drop off....Alder Aspen Poplar Crab Apple all 90 Elm 80, Beech 64 Ash 41.

Interestingly he claims the common sycamore supports very few species at all.

It's a very useful book, I'd recommend it.

I am thinking of starting to grow trees from seed this autumn and to grow them on to a point where I can offer them to local farmers for free. Adopt a baby tree kind of idea! These horrible mechanical hedge trimmers are ruining the chances of self-sown seeds maturing to full-sized trees......

Rosa · Hazel Tree Joined: 25 Jul 2008 Posts: 1 Location: Cork

Hi All,

I am interested in planting some evergreen and non-evergreen trees around my house. The site is windswept and about 1/2 mile from sea. The area is southfacing so I didn't really want anything higher than 15ft or so, otherwise they will cast alot of shade. I would be delighted to hear any suggestions !!!

michael brenock · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 6:36 pm Post subject:

holly, scots pine Alders, birch, mountain ash wild cherry, wild damson and white-thorn.
michael brenock horticultural advisor (retired)

Freshgrass · Hazel Tree Joined: 27 Mar 2009 Posts: 3

Hi All,
Haven't done alot since my last post but i suppose iv narrowed my selection down to 2 types.Oak and Horsechesnut.
So what my best plan of action?I'm planning on going gathering acorns and horsechesnuts in the next two weeks.
Where should i plant these?In trays or in fields?
I then want direction on best way to mind young tree's preferably let them mind them selves before we plant them in there final home.We have lots of area but i still dont want to give up good farm land to tree's because we have alot of waste areas in corners of fields/along dithes that i would prfer to place them near as they are not being utilised fully?

Robbo · Hazel Tree Joined: 25 Sep 2009 Posts: 2 Location: Belfast

Where should i plant these?

You could plant them in old feed bags, roll the top of the bag down half way fill with soil and plant a seed in each bag. Then place them all togetter out of the way, remembering to water them on sunny days.

missdevon · Hazel Tree Joined: 12 May 2009 Posts: 7

That's such a lovely idea Sive, and thanks for recommending that book too!