What trees can I plant in Autumn?
This is a question that we are often asked, what trees can I plant in autumn / summer/ winter and spring. In this blog we seek to share some ides and insight particularly into what you can plant in autumn.
Since the Resource Management Act was changed in 2009, Auckland has lost a huge percentage of its trees mostly due to the pressures of new development and a lack of available space.
In some cities around the world it is very common to see mature trees
co-existing alongside homes and buildings. In New Zealand, and Auckland especially, people seem less tolerant of this situation. Now more than ever, it is important to start getting some trees back in the ground to readdress the balance.
But what to plant in autumn?
The aim of this blog is to provide information and resources to anyone wishing to plant trees in the Auckland region.
Planting more trees in your garden will deliver more benefits that you think
Trees have many benefits: they soften landscapes, they purify the air, they provide food and shelter for wildlife, attract birds and they look beautiful. However, to realise these advantages it is important that the right tree goes into the right place.
We have covered how to plant trees extensively in other blog posts, so if you are thinking of doing some planting it would be a good idea to check those out now.
If you are planting trees in autumn there are a number of factors that you need to take into account. Essentially you need to accurately assess your site in terms of soil, exposure, water, weather, available space etc. Next you compare this with your desired plant list and see if there is any cross over. Finally, you prepare the ground, plant your tree and provide adequate after care.
So, how do you choose what tree you want to plant?
This can really be a personal exercise. You need think about what you want from the tree and the purposes you want it to serve. Things to consider are: colours, flowers, fruit, how big it will grow, evergreen or deciduous, native or exotic, wildlife, neighbours. The tree that you want to plant this autumn may be different to what your spouse or partner thinks, as its a personal choice. Work together to discuss and bounce around ideas. We suggest that you can also reference a book or website and make a list of all the trees that appeal to you and cross reference them against your requirements to make your short list.
What about native trees?
When talking about trees you may hear the terms native and regional. Native means trees that are native to a country. Regional refers to trees that are found in certain parts of that country, as not all native trees are naturally found in all parts of a country. By planting native trees that are regional to your area you can really maximise the wildlife/habitat benefits of your planting. Some good resources for planting native trees in the Auckland area can be found below:
https://www.dairynz.co.nz/media/4034406/riparian-management-guide-auckland.pdf
Having said that, even trees that are not naturally found in New Zealand (or Auckland) can provide benefits, you just need to be careful where you plant them. Auckland has a relatively moist climate, with lots of sunshine and mild winters. This means that you can grow a wide variety of plants in Auckland and it’s surrounds.
However, these growing conditions mean that trees can grow much faster than they would in their home environments and can also jump the fence and spread more readily. If you are in an urban environment you might need to give consideration to your available space when selecting plants. If you are situated close to native bush or reserves you might want to check that what you are planting is not considered a noxious weed. Many plants on the noxious weed list are commonly found and planted in gardens.
Below are a couple of resources for tropical looking plants that can make your garden look like an Island retreat. I’ll also add the council’s noxious weed list so you can check your planting against it.
https://pestplants.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/plants-a-z
To summarize, you can grow a wide variety of trees in Auckland.
It is worth spending time thinking and planning what you want to plant in order to ensure it will provide lots of benefits and few, if any, drawbacks. Resources exist to help you make good plant selections. Have fun and plant more trees.
Even though we are currently in a lock down, you can still call our team any time to ask for advice or to book in a quote once we move out of stage 4 and some of the restrictions are lifted.
