Terminology

Annual Growth Rate

Plant growth rates can from vary year to year, depending on weather conditions, irrigation and plant maturity. For example, many tree species have growth spurts during their life span. The following growth rates are guides based on our experience and research over many years.

Fast = 45-100+cm
Medium = 20-45cm
Slow = 5-20cm

Characteristics

Evergreen

In leaf all year round

Deciduous

Drops leaves in the autumn

Berries

Ornamental berry fruit

Fruit

Can be edible nuts or berries, apples, pears etc.

Planting Positions

Full Sun

More than 6 hours of direct sun per day at midsummer

Partial Shade

3 to 6 hours of direct sun per day at midsummer

Full Shade

Less than 2 hours of direct sun per day at midsummer

Root Structure

Bare root

Bare-root plants, are carefully dug from the ground during the plants dormant season which is between November and March. They are sold with their roots exposed and no soil attached. They are the cheapest way to buy field grown plants therefore popular for low budget planting projects.

Rootball

A rootballed plant is dug up from the ground in a ball of soil and wrapped in hessian and wire-net to hold it all together which makes it safe to transport.

Container

When plants are grown out of the ground in pots, troughs or bags they are known in the trade as container grown plants. These plants are produced mostly for selling during the summer months when other seasonal plants are unavailable.
Even large specimen plants are grown in containers for summer planting projects.

Root strip

Root strips are created when rows of plants are planted closely together into, and along a straight, narrow trench within the soil on a tree nursery with the sole purpose of growing them into finished hedges, also known as ‘instant hedges’

When they are fully grown and ready for selling, they are lifted out of the ground in long narrow lengths called root strips. This is because the roots of each individual plant have grown along the trench into and around each other plant to create a strip full of their roots. These root strips can be lifted in various lengths from 50cm up to 250cm

Soil pH

Soil pH is a measurement of the acidity and alkalinity within the soil. The measurement taken for a certain planting site location is important for gardeners to determine and select which plant species can be used to plant in said soil.

0 – 3.9 pH = Very strong acid
4.0 – 4.9 pH = Strongly acid
5.0 – 5.9 pH = Moderately acid
6.0 – 6.9 pH = Slightly acid
7.0 pH = Neutral
7.1 – 7.9 pH = Slightly alkaline
8.0 – 8.9 pH = Strongly alkaline
9.0 – 10 pH = Very strong alkaline

Plant growth rates can from vary year to year, depending on weather conditions, irrigation and plant maturity. For example, many tree species have growth spurts during their life span. The following growth rates are guides based on our experience and research over many years.

Fast = 45-100+cm
Medium = 20-45cm
Slow = 5-20cm

Evergreen

In leaf all year round

Deciduous

Drops leaves in the autumn

Berries

Ornamental berry fruit

Fruit

Can be edible nuts or berries, apples, pears etc.

Full Sun

More than 6 hours of direct sun per day at midsummer

Partial Shade

3 to 6 hours of direct sun per day at midsummer

Full Shade

Less than 2 hours of direct sun per day at midsummer

Bare root

Bare-root plants, are carefully dug from the ground during the plants dormant season which is between November and March. They are sold with their roots exposed and no soil attached. They are the cheapest way to buy field grown plants therefore popular for low budget planting projects.

Rootball

A rootballed plant is dug up from the ground in a ball of soil and wrapped in hessian and wire-net to hold it all together which makes it safe to transport.

Container

When plants are grown out of the ground in pots, troughs or bags they are known in the trade as container grown plants. These plants are produced mostly for selling during the summer months when other seasonal plants are unavailable.
Even large specimen plants are grown in containers for summer planting projects.

Root strip

Root strips are created when rows of plants are planted closely together into, and along a straight, narrow trench within the soil on a tree nursery with the sole purpose of growing them into finished hedges, also known as ‘instant hedges’

When they are fully grown and ready for selling, they are lifted out of the ground in long narrow lengths called root strips. This is because the roots of each individual plant have grown along the trench into and around each other plant to create a strip full of their roots. These root strips can be lifted in various lengths from 50cm up to 250cm

Soil pH is a measurement of the acidity and alkalinity within the soil. The measurement taken for a certain planting site location is important for gardeners to determine and select which plant species can be used to plant in said soil.

0 – 3.9 pH = Very strong acid
4.0 – 4.9 pH = Strongly acid
5.0 – 5.9 pH = Moderately acid
6.0 – 6.9 pH = Slightly acid
7.0 pH = Neutral
7.1 – 7.9 pH = Slightly alkaline
8.0 – 8.9 pH = Strongly alkaline
9.0 – 10 pH = Very strong alkaline

Ask Holly

Not sure what’s right for your project or landscape? Not to worry; in just a few questions we can help narrow down some recommendations suitable for what you’re looking for.

Hints & Tips

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Faq

Here are a few of our most asked questions. If your query isn’t listed here though, please don’t hesitate to speak to our friendly team and we’ll be happy to help.