Planting native plants

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Planting native plants

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Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Fri May 13, 05 7:28 pm Post subject: Planting native plants

If an area of pines were cleared from a site on ancient woodland what would be the best way to replant with native plants? There will be quite a deep layer of acidic pine needles for example so is it better to leave nature to take her course or to try and help?

For example - I could try and clear some areas, leave the area alone, or try and replant myself.

If I chose to replant would it be best to take seeds or seedling from the area to plant or would it be acceptable to buy in plants and seeds from a reliable source to try and encourage something different to the area?

Also in an area of diverse woodland would it be acceptable to introduce other native plants? I'm only referring to areas that would be owned by whoever is introducing the plants and if there were any areas covered by any special laws I would speak to the relevant authorities.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

thos

Joined: 08 Mar 2005
Posts: 1139
Location: Jauche, Duchy of Brabant (Bourgogne-ci) and Charolles, Duchy of Burgundy (Bourgogne-�a)

Posted: Fri May 13, 05 7:41 pm Post subject:

From the little I remember from my degree, pines are god-awful things that stop decent plants from growing, so you will need to cut everything down and lime the area. You will then need to plant trees and some of the undergrowth in holes filled with compost. Any seedlings will do, you could obtain oaks, sycamores and many other species from anybody with a garden with trees near - I am forever digging out sycamore, ash, oak and loads of other nasties. Unless you are buying a huge area you should not need to go anywhere near a garden centre if you can volunteer to clear the local churchyard or equivalent area.

Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Fri May 13, 05 7:46 pm Post subject:

thos wrote:

From the little I remember from my degree, pines are god-awful things that stop decent plants from growing

Just seeing an area of mixed woodland show how true that is. There's a large selection of plants and animals under the native broad leaf trees and absolutely nothing under the pines.

A small plantation of Scotts pines was much better but had nowhere near the number of plants than a broadleaved wood.

I've not found anything yet but I would be talking a couple of acres.

What did you do a degree in Thos?

thos

Joined: 08 Mar 2005
Posts: 1139
Location: Jauche, Duchy of Brabant (Bourgogne-ci) and Charolles, Duchy of Burgundy (Bourgogne-�a)

Posted: Fri May 13, 05 8:10 pm Post subject:
Zoology, Liverpool 1978

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Fri May 13, 05 9:37 pm Post subject:

When you get your wood, you could go walking in nearby (public) woods and collect acorns, conkers, beech nuts etc etc, and plant them up to get them started off in pots whilst you get the area cleared and what have you. it would be free, and if you started when the legal buff was going on, it would probably be a season or two before it was ready for planting anyway. You;d also get species that are already flourishing in the area (there is more than one type of british oak!) If you know roughly the area, you could even start now (space permitting!)

I don't think it would have much impact locally - it's only be a few nundred seeds at most, and you'd be growing them on.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Sun May 15, 05 12:09 pm Post subject:

I'd be tempted to go to a local BTCV group and natter to them about what there is in the locality; they'll point you to what does well in those parts, where they would go to collect local seed, and (with some sweet talking) they'll possibly let you in on things when they're collecting specimens to restore local woodlands.

In truth, the best thing you can do sometimes is to fell problematic trees, take out what you want rid of, and be patient. And sometimes you just need to be tolerant of non-native plants where you can't get rid of them; eradicating ground elder from a little patch of ground might just not be worth it, and whereas felling a sycamore that's shading out, say, beech seedlings might be a good idea, you'll never be rid of sycamore entirely.

mochyn

Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales

Posted: Thu May 19, 05 8:51 am Post subject:
If you have the time/energy you could go thrrough the Plant Postcode Databse for your postcode to see which trees and other natives have been recorded in your area. I'll try to find an address for it, if you like.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Thu May 19, 05 11:05 am Post subject:

mochyn wrote:

If you have the time/energy you could go thrrough the Plant Postcode Databse for your postcode to see which trees and other natives have been recorded in your area. I'll try to find an address for it, if you like.

Yes please. I have been impressed by some of the more 'off track' places I've seen and the large variety of native plants there are.

mochyn

Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales

Posted: Fri May 20, 05 9:20 am Post subject:
OK the plant postcode database is at www.nhm.ac.uk/science/projects/fff/ It's really interesting: you just input your postcode and it gives a loooong list of plants that have been recorded there. Good luck!

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