Planting Craters

[Garden Manager]

Mainly for those of you with ornamental gardens rather than lotties although i suppose it could be adapted for allotment planting

I just have to share with you a tip i use when planting or replanting larger plants particularly shrubs.

When i finish planting the plant and before i water or mulch, i raise up a 'dam' of soil around the plant just a little larger than the rootball. This creates a 'crater' around the plant. Then on watering the 'crater' can be filled up with water in the knowledge that the water will get straight to the plant roots where it is needed rather than running off the soil surface. Once the water has soaked in a mulch of compost can be applied to seal the moisture in and keep weeds down. Once the plant is established the soil can be leveled off around the plant.

I guess on the allotment this could be used when planting fruit trees and bushes, or around thirsty crops such as marrows/courgettes or squashes.

[Garden Manager]

[adam04]

its especially good if using over head sprinklers as water runs into the craters and so is a bit more efficient.

it can also be done as a trench for rows of plants

[rosebud]

Thank you for that Richard a very usefull tip, we are going to move a large plant this weekend so that will come in very handy indeed. ;D ;D

[Garden Manager]

Thank you for that Richard a very usefull tip, we are going to move a large plant this weekend so that will come in very handy indeed. ;D ;D

You're welcome rosebud.  I dont much like keeping good ideas to myself.

[John_H]

I've got a few 'seep buckets' which I use sometimes.

Thats a posh name for those buckets you buy chicken poo in, which I have then stuck a garden fork through the bottom of. If you just make two fork prong sized holes close together near one edge, you can stand the bucked next to the plant you want to water and just fill the bucket up with water. Over the next 10 minutes the water you have poured into the bucket will seep out into the soil just at the point where you want it. And if the water is running out of the bucket too fast just put a penny over one of the holes.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Good idea, I hadn't thought of that one.