Planting lots of Pyracantha and want to give them a good start (PART 2)

wcarlw

Hi Everyone,

I (with help from 2 others) planted the 20 Pyracantha yesterday, took just under 5 hours and today i am sore despite being accused of being the project manager rather than the labourer

I used advice from the previous post

I used the fungi

I used Bonemeal mixed into the soil

I did NOT use compost in the end, as said, its best it use the native soil

I used bark as mulch but i think i need a couple more bags, that stuff doesn't last!

Watering it every day, let the soil flood then it drains in, luckily i have good drainage.

Used bamboo sticks to keep them straight, the shrubs are currently about 2.4 meters tall.

Thanks guys.

My question is what happens from now?

Does it grow at all this year?

Are there any signs/things i need to keep an eye out for?

Is there anything i can do beyond watering them right now?

Im really wanting them to grow outwards to fill the spaces between the shrubs (50cm - 60cm)

Is there anything else i can do in general?

If this shrub does well ill definitely be incorporating more!

Thanks all

Marlorena

Try not to rush things too much, plants don't like to be rushed... it sounds as though you're in a hurry to get things going, and I can understand that..  you should see some growth during mild spells this autumn but Spring is the time they will take off.. and more so after the flowers have faded next summer...

Incidentally, just for your further information in case you plant any more, it's not advisable to use both bone meal and the fungi at the same time... you're wasting money on the fungi as the bone meal kills it off, so I understand...

This quote from the RHS confirms...

Phosphorus-rich fertilisers are widely used in cultivated ground.....  but are thought to actually suppress the mycorrhizas. For this reason it is best not to use phosphorous rich fertilisers in conjunction with mycorrhizal fungi.

AnniD

Thought l might have said that too on my previous post, but could be wrong! Never mind, it's done now. As Marlorena says, you can't rush these things. You have given them the best start you can, now it's up to them. I wouldn't go too mad with the watering, you want the roots to start searching out the moisture, and at this time of year we should be starting to get more rain. I can't think of anything off the top of my head, that you need to be concerned about at the moment. Come the Spring, when it starts to warm up, you will see them start to put on growth, and you should get some flowers, probably not many, but it shows they are getting settled. Know what you mean about the project managing remarks !   

wcarlw

Hi, I think I got some conflicting info. I read:

We do recommend adding mycorrhizal fungi and bone meal to the backfill. Mycorrhizal fungi form associations with plant roots and help them extract and absorb minerals and water from the soil. Trees and shrubs with mycorrhizal-enhanced root systems adapt better and are more tolerant of stressful environments. Bone meal provides essential minerals that promote sturdy root systems and stimulate plant growth.

https://www.gardeners.com/how-to/tree-planting/8741.html

With that info i mixed BoneMeal in with the soil i dug out of the hole, the fungi was just put in the bottom of the hole and the shrub put on top.

But RHS say otherwise, but whats done is done, I'll take it easy and let its do its thing, at this stage im more concerned that it gets a good root system developing.

Hey Anni, thanks for that, yeah whets done is done, ill just hope for the best now!

Borderline

Are you thinking of training them against a wall/barrier? Or is more of a hedge. At 2.4 meters tall, you should give them all a trim next year to help them bush out more. If not, your shrubs will grow with a lot of gaps between branches. If you are aiming for a hedge look, you will have to keep doing this every year. Prune the tops down too, this helps them to send out more side shoots. They may take some time to settle in, sometimes two years, but once settled, they will grow away.

wcarlw

Hi Borderline, they will be hedge type rather than against the wall. I had a feeling that cutting the top to force them to spread out would be needed. That is something i can do.

Should i wait till next spring to cut them down a little and how much would you advise i take off the top?

Thanks for the info

Borderline

It's hard to advise without seeing your shrubs right now. Some weak and thin looking branches can be shortened, but generally, it's best to wait till the winter has passed and then get onto the cutting back. Next year, prune around at least 1 ft down from the top. But, if you can, maybe post some photos now or next year, that way it will be a bit more safer to advise.

Either way, no need to be too precise. Any shortening of height will help to cause the shrub to send out more new branches. This will need to be all the way down the shrub too. The priority is to keep the roots settled, and you already mentioned mulching which will help them settle down. 

wcarlw

Thanks for that

Fairygirl

Most of all- don't worry about them 
They're pretty forgiving. Compost is only needed if the soil's a bit heavy or lacking in nutrients, as it gives them a wee bit of help. I never use mycorrhizal, just B,F&B and usually a bit of compost all mixed with the surrounding soil. 
As long as they're well watered initially, and mulched [which you've done]  they'll be fine. Just keep them watered if you have a lot of dry weather, or the soil's very free draining. Autumn and winter rain will do the job after that.
They won't do much now till spring, apart from getting their roots down,  when they'll grow away. You can prune and tidy them then.
Bigger shrubs are harder to establish. Personally, I wouldn't have bought them at that size because you have to chop a lot off to get them growing outwards, but you've bought them now! While pyracantha's hard to kill, and  it's always  better to chop after planting,  it's probably safer to wait now