Betula Pendula | Bare Root

Graceful white-barked tree. Position: full sun or lightly dappled shade Soil: moderately fertile, well-drained soil Rate of growth: fast-growing Flowering period: March Hardiness: fully hardy Diamond-shaped, bright green leaves hang from graceful, pendent branches. It is a fast-growing tree with white, peeling bark that becomes marked with black, rugged cracks as it gets older. In spring, yellow-brown male catkins appear and in late autumn the foliage turns yellow before falling. It is one of the most widely used birches, grown for its narrow, conical shape and ability to grow in almost all soils and situations. All the Betulas we supply are single-stemmed, but they can be planted close together to create a multi-stemmed effect. Bare root trees normally start being ‘lifted’ in late November, however to ensure they are kept in tip top condition, our specialist growers will not start this process until the weather conditions are just right. As the exact timing of every lifting season will vary, your tree may be delayed by a couple of weeks, but please rest assured that we will be delivering it to your door as soon as we possibly can. Garden care: When your bare root plant arrives, it is important that it is planted out as soon as possible. This should be done on a day when the soil isn’t frozen or waterlogged. Firstly remove all the packaging and dunk the roots in tepid water for 20 minutes so they can rehydrate. Meanwhile, dig a hole roughly 2-3 times the width and roughly the same depth as the rootball and gently loosen up the edges. Then, mix some good quality compost in with the soil that has been excavated. The tree should be planted at the same depth as it was before it was lifted – and if you look closely you will usually see this mark on the stem. Also, if the tree has been grafted, the graft union should be above soil level. An easy way to check if the depth is correct is to stand the tree into the empty hole and then lay a bamboo cane across the outermost edges – the soil mark on the stem should then be level with the bamboo cane. When the depth is right (and while making sure the tree is kept upright), gently backfill around the roots with the soil/compost mix, gently firming it down around the roots, before giving the plant a really good water. If it’s not possible to plant out immediately, you can keep it safe for a few days by unwrapping it, sitting it in water for 20 minutes or so before re-wrapping the roots in a sealed bag. Then, leave the plant somewhere cold, frost-free and away from direct sunlight – ideally tucked in with a generous layer of mulch. Longer term storage options include either potting it up or heeling it in before planting out. Finally, it is worth keeping in mind that bare root plants are often slower to ‘get going’ in their first spring after planting, so give them a few weeks grace before you start to worry. Once established, birches don’t need much pruning, but you may want to remove any diseased or crossing branches. It is essential that any pruning work is carried out between late summer and mid-winter as the sap will ‘bleed’ heavily at other times. When planting incorporate lots of well-rotted garden compost in the planting hole and stake well.