Ground prep advice for new amenity wood

[Sam]

Hi, I'm applying for a grant to plant up a hectare of new wood on an old unused football field, it's heavy clay, pretty wet, slightly compacted.

Just wondering what you guys would advise for the ground prep. Mow it to within an inch of its life then, maybe drag a ripper through it and then rotovate? Would a ripper handle heavy clay? Am going to have to hire in whatever we use and everything's booked up already, so we're looking at this November to start. Any ideas would be great.

Edited September 16, 2022 by Sam

[dumper]

Don’t rotavate, mow it what size trees are you using?

[Sam]

Whips, then a 'community planting day' type thing to get them in the ground (plus some extra actual staff to help).

 

Mixed broadleaves, 2m centers so about 2500 whips

[openspaceman]

18 hours ago, dumper said:

Don’t rotavate, mow it what size trees are you using?

Agreed not to rotavate because of risk of smearing and further compaction. Subsoil maybe and then chemical screefing for the planting pits, done now.

[Stere]

Any decent new biodegradable mulch mats/ tree spats  yet?

 

I see they sell jute ones but they are  expensive.

 

Farmers getting nothing atm  for wool always think felt mats would be good?

 

Mattock is good for small bare root whips.

Edited September 17, 2022 by Stere

[Squaredy]

On 16/09/2022 at 17:45, Sam said:

Hi, I'm applying for a grant to plant up a hectare of new wood on an old unused football field, it's heavy clay, pretty wet, slightly compacted.

Just wondering what you guys would advise for the ground prep. Mow it to within an inch of its life then, maybe drag a ripper through it and then rotovate? Would a ripper handle heavy clay? Am going to have to hire in whatever we use and everything's booked up already, so we're looking at this November to start. Any ideas would be great.

If you are near to existing trees and have time you could allow it to naturally turn to woodland.  My garden would be a forest of field maple, ash, poplar holly, and yew if I left it for a few years.  Or did you want control over the species?!

[Sam]

Don't mind about the species, but we need to get trees in the ground this year.

Edited September 18, 2022 by Sam

[dan blocker]

Old unused football field? Why unused? a far better amenity than a wood of whips surely? We’ve lost more football pitches than woodlands.