How to plant 500 trees quickly?

n1st

I purchased a Planting Spade today, the blade is much longer than a normal spade

https://www.countrylife.ie/shop/product/True-Temper-Planting-Spade-with-D-Grip-Wood-Handle/9091072

n1st

All done here, 500 native Irish trees in the ground in 2 days.

No special tools required, ordinary spade does the job.

The T- notch cut does the job perfectly.

Oak had bigger roots so dug small holes for them.

Had some help, ground was perfect, no stones or rocks.

If soil is good then one person could plant 500 alone in 3 days with just a garden spade.

hirondelle

Great progress OP- did you think the planting spade was an improvement on a regular?

If you can get a few people to tramp the grass flat around them next year and the year after (maybe twice or three times) in my experience that really allows the saplings to get better leaf on and so establish quicker. I had a primary school group do it for local public planting- gently hold the top and walk clockwise (or anti!) until all the grass was flattened- they thought it was great craic and three hundred saplings were freed in about five minutes!

n1st

Planting spade wasn't required, I used an ordinary one in the end.

I'm planning on putting mulch on and maybe some manure, in spring, old mushroom compost maybe , to keep the grass down

DylanQuestion

Any pictures? :) Congrats!

n1st

Hi, some detail here on the outcome, time will tell if it's a success.

https://ballyglassthatchedcottage.wordpress.com/2022/01/09/trees-how-to-plant-500-native-irish-trees-in-2-days/

Thanks for the help

10-10-20

Good job on going native.

Do you have many deer or rabbits around?. I'm not in favour of those plastic sapling-guards, but I'd also like to see a low rate of failure for you too.