Index:
- Page 1 Creating The Holm Oak Walk 2011 (this page)
We were very taken with the Holm Oak walk at East Ruston Old Vicarage
East Ruston Old Vicarage - Holm Oak Hedge
and decided that from the end of the Long Walk (in the narrow section that runs down to the end of the Spit) we would like to line the path with Holm Oaks … except for the expense 
30-50cm potted plants are £4 each, when purchased in quantity of 250+ and we need about 350 – and 60-80cm plants are £6.85 each, and 150-175cm are £15.54 – Wow!
We went to the local National Trust garden in Autumn 2010 and harvested hundreds of acorns, but none of them germinated. We went back a bit later intending to harvest another batch but all the acorns had been eaten by squirrels – so I suspect they knew when the acorns were ripe!
We planned to try getting some more Acorns in Autumn 2011, but a chance wandering around the internet found some cell-grown seedlings for £1.15 each from trees-online.co.uk. So I ordered 340 plants with the intention of potting them up for a year and planting out in Autumn 2012.
When they arrived I was amazed at how strong they were, which was a terrific bonus – most were over 30cm tall, and the compost in the cells was a good 10cm deep, so they had developed strong roots.
Holm Oak Walk - Cell Plants
Only problem was that the ground was not ready. Luckily we had not returned the rotavator, so I quickly rotavated the strip for the hedges. I am really unconvinced that the soil preparation is good enough, or deep enough, but I’ve decided to just go with fingers-crossed on this one.
Holm Oak Walk - Oct 2011 - Prepare for planting
Holm Oak Walk - Oct 2011
Holm Oak Walk - Prepared (from far end looking back)
Holm Oak Walk Irrigation
I took the opportunity to trench-in some irrigation pipe, so we can have water for irrigation over the next few Summers.
Holm Oak Walk Irrigation
I also thought that this would provide some “sub-soiling” of the clay, on one side at least, which will hopefully help the plants establish more quickly
Holm Oak Walk - Nov 2011 Planted
and the little chaps all nicely planted!
Holm Oak Walk - Potted-up
I potted up the larger ones and put them in the conservatory for the Winter so that they, hopefully, will grow faster than the field-planted ones next year, as I have planned a feature that I want to make at the end – but it involves removing the existing mixed-hedge, and I want decent sized plants to replant that, as it is on the boundary.
Site tour: The Hydrangea Walk, Autumn 2011 Tour: Next, Index
