Trees
Trees have enhanced the NZ landscape for generations and there is a variety to suit any style, purpose or site.
A beautiful addition to provide shade, shelter, privacy and fruit for years to come. Whether you choose to plant natives, an orchard or a single tree, planting them makes an impact on climate change and improves biodiversity to help save the planet.
How to plant
Decide where you wish to plant the tree, ensuring it has enough room to grow to maturity without obstructing buildings, power lines, drains, or other trees.
Choose the main purpose for planting the tree: fruit, flowers, shade, privacy, attracting birds, or enhancing the beauty of your space.
Plant trees in winter while they are dormant for best results.
Prepare the soil by digging a hole approximately twice the depth and width of the rootball, adding compost, sheep pellets, and a layer of Tui Citrus & Fruit Mix for fruit trees or garden mix for native/deciduous trees.
Soak the tree in organic seaweed plant tonic to prevent transplant shock and promote healthy growth.
Loosen the tree's rootball and plant it in the prepared hole, filling it with the soil mix, and securing the tree with stakes and flexible ties.
Gently firm the soil around the roots and water again.
Add a layer of mulch to retain moisture and suppress weed growth.
Top Tips for Tree Care
Fruit trees need nutrients for juicy crops: Use Tui NovaTec Premium fertiliser in spring/summer, water well, mulch, and spray with Grosafe Freeflo Copper to combat leaf curl, blackspot, and bacterial diseases.
In Autumn, remove diseased leaves and sprinkle Sulphate of Potash around the base to boost flowers/fruit. Prune in winter and feed with sheep pellets. In the first year after planting, remove any fruit to allow the tree to establish itself.
Other trees need regular watering until established and a feed in spring and autumn with slow-release fertiliser. Prune to shape and control size as required: as a general rule, prune a third of the wood out during the winter and remove any damaged or diseased branches.
Large trees are not overly susceptible to pests and disease, but protection from rabbits or possums and shelter from strong prevailing winds may be necessary.
Examples of Trees
There are three main types of trees – evergreen, deciduous or fruit trees.
Evergreen trees keep their green foliage all year round, and include a lot of New Zealand Natives like Pohutukawa, Kakabeak and Kowhai to attract birds and Leptospermum, Cordyline and Pesudopanax to preserve our native species. We also stock large trees like Kauri and Totara with Ake Ake and Plagianthus Regius useful for shelter.
Evergreens also includes exotic conifers, like Thujas/Cupress, Cedars, and Pines.
Deciduous trees lose their leaves in winter providing more sunlight and displaying colourful autumn tones like Maples, Oak, Elm, Liquidambar and Ash trees. In spring and summer some flower and fruit. Great specimens are Crab Apples, and Flowering Cherries bringing colourful blossom and form to the garden. Beech and Birch trees provide wonderful silhouettes during winter.
Fruit trees are fun to grow and can give many years reward of fresh, juicy homegrown fruit. Dwarf varieties are good options if you have limited space. Or you can try your hand at espaliering them along the fence line as you become more experienced.
Fruit varieties we stock (Seasonal):
Pip & Stone Fruit: Apples, Apricots, Cherry, Peaches, Pears, Plum, Nectarine.
Berry fruit: Blackberry, Blueberry, Elderberry, Loganberry, Mulberry, Raspberry and Strawberry, Black & White Currents, Cranberries.
Citrus fruit: Lemon, Lime, Mandarin, Grapefruit, Orange, Loquat,
Topiary trees
We also stock topiary trees which is the training/shaping by clipping trees into defined shapes. Common species chosen for topiary include Buxus Sempervirens, Myrtle, Pittosporum and Laurus Nobilis.
We have ball shapes, animal shapes and standard varieties available using Star Jasmine, Portugese Laurel, Choisya Ternate and Michelias.
Visit our store to explore our full range and get expert advice from our friendly staff. We're here to help you create the garden of your dreams!