Rewilding Gone Wrong - What NOT To Do..

[@marie-pierberrouard7725]

We use cardboard boxes at the base of trees at planting. Not the best looking solution for the first few months but it works great, it’s low cost and it decomposes really well!

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Absolutely Marie-Pier - the wonderful trees that you will have due to the cardboard for a few months will outweigh the need for this in the end :) Best wishes, Joel

[@adz5bneweng589]

I use cardboard all the time...as the base for no till gardening, around trees, under mulch, wherever noxious weeds got out of control, etc.

[@marie-pierberrouard7725]

@@adz5bneweng589 Such a great and plentiful resource!

[@woodlandsedge3456]

I do a lot of this and it’s a real shame spent a lot of last autumn sorting out someone else’s mistakes

[@danielsen116]

I use cardboard then cover it with arborist wood chips

[@vanillaweaselurbex]

I discovered this channel recently and can’t stop watching it. You inspired me to turn my property into a wildlife garden with a pond and a manmade creek. Thanks for the amazing content!

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thank you, so much. That's such a nice comment to leave and I really appreciate it. I am absolutely thrilled that the channel has helped you to garden with wildlife in mind now, you will be rewarded over and over, I promise :) Comments like yours encourage me to keep going, I'm very grateful - best wishes to you and yours, Joel

[@lorifalk5517]

I made this mistake myself. Planed 10 trees in a grassland last spring. Thanks to your video, i am now putting cardboard with mulch around the saplings. Hope its not too late!

[@BarriosGroupie]

I found this with three rose bushes planted at the front of my garden which I initially neglected, but can see on Google street view down the years. They started out OK but gradually got smaller as their bases became increasingly submerged under grass, with one ending up looking dead with a single dark brown stem. Last year I removed the grass around their bases and perhaps crucially, watered them well a few times a week in hot weather. Lo and behold a few months later new growth appeared on their bases and the 'dead' one even managed to flower two roses on the existing 'dead' stem. In the back last year I planted a small gooseberry bush in a grassy area, but mulched to prevent new grass growth and is currently about eight times its initial potted size. So from my experience last year, mulching around the base of any plant has a massive influence upon its subsequent growth: which makes sense because it maintains water retention and good soil temperature regulation. It's funny how our minds misinterpret things we don't initially understand such as mulching using bark: my local council plants new trees using a square perimeter of small logs as a base, mulched with bark which I thought was purely for an ornamental effect, giving it a 'rustic' look. Whereas there are very good practical reasons for doing so.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

An excellent example! Thanks so much for this, it reiterates that the right care in the beginning, and ongoing of course can make all the difference :) Best wishes, Joel

[@dickiedavis5240]

Hello mate. I have been subscribed for quite a long time, but have been on a real binge of your stuff the past few days (as i am in the planning stages of a fairly major rehaul of my own garden) and just wanted to drop you a quick message of appreciation for the really top quality, informative and instructional videos you put out. Please keep it up!

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Oh wow - thanks so much - I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know, kind words make all the difference :) It's so encouraging to know and only spurs me on to make more - to be honest I've circa 57 videos to upload, it's just finding the time to sort, edit and upload - just about to upload another one in fact! I really do appreciate your support - best wishes to you and yours, Joel

[@PaulOutdoors]

It always frustrated me Joel when involved in the past with local private and local authority tree/hedge planting projects that zero provision was ever included to mulch, monitor, maintain and protect the young trees and to return to see the inevitable result due to lack of foresight sadly. I used to quote for post planting maintenance visits but these were very rarely included mainly due to budget restrictions. The same can be said for layed hedges that have had the regrowth nibbled to within an inch of its life due to lack of protection from grazing. You have highlighted perfectly what a difference a little bit of extra time and investment can make to the success of projects. Paul 👍😊

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

I empathise Paul! Please do send an email to me so we can keep in touch, I may well have some works coming up in Herefordshire and might need some help! [e-mail] - just so we can keep in touch and meet up anyway, at least :) Take good care and thanks again for all your support and interest - best wishes, Joel

[@PaulOutdoors]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton It is always a pleasure Joel to watch and comment. I will fire off an email to you forthwith. Like you say, It would be great to meet up if you are in the 'shire at any time and shake your hand. Also, I am happy to help you in any way that I can. Paul 👍😊

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

@@PaulOutdoors Fantastic! Thanks so much Paul :)

[@kf2572]

A 13 minute vid for 4 minutes of info! Glad the FF button works.

[@charliensam]

Another excellent lesson Joel! My new trees will be happier & healthier because of the knowledge you share. Thank you so much.🙂🌱🌲🌳

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

It's so lovely to read comments like this Michelle, really it is :) I really appreciate your support, knowing it's making a difference makes it all worthwhile - best wishes, Joel

[@lisaroberts8135]

Thank you so much for this advice, I’ve just bought this morning 2 common beech and a holly to put together with some hawthorns and hazel bare root trees and didn’t know about clearing the ground around …phew !! I now know what to do 👍🏼

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

So glad this could be of help Lisa, and thanks so much for the support - it makes it all worthwhile, particularly knowing that so many more habitats are being made for our creatures so desperately in need of our help :) Best wishes, Joel

[@-Atmos1]

I recently planted a native Hazel Tree in my garden

[@MaryJane-kn3id]

That’s good to know!

[@beckyscheller9358]

Thanks for showing. Important to know what not to do as much as what is the right way.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hi Becky - thank you, glad it was helpful - a shame to see but all is not lost :) Best wishes, Joel

[@donaldauguston9740]

What a shame so many nice plants died from incompetence of the original garden "expert". I paid $1,500 for an "expert" to re-plant grass in a garden I could no longer maintain, and he did an awful job. He left rocks and roots, sticks, and clumps and just sowed seeds. No leveling of the soil. no planting sod as we agreed. The entire mess still lives in my back yard, and I could just strangle him! Thank you for listening. DA

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

That's really awful to hear Donald, and please do keep commenting with your experiences, I am more than happy to listen and of course advise if you need help. I just wish I lived closer so I could come and help you :) Best wishes, Joel

[@flowertt6453]

That's really wonderful ideas to make it. great information for the rewilding project, it will great help wildlife, Thanks for sharing my friend.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thank you :) This was such a shame to see, but we can help, it was just neglectful in the contractor's planning unfortunately. Hope you're doing well - best wishes, Joel

[@cawstongreenway]

Glad you have popped back into my feed, Joel. Always a pleasure to watch.

[@brownfamily3218]

Hi Joel. This is sad to see. In the past I have volunteered to plant trees in a large area. We used the slit planting technique and planted 2 feet apart. The idea being that hopefully 50% would survive. And they did. 30 years on and Pipe Hall Farm is looking good and is in walking distance of where I live. I thought then that it was a waste of young saplings but it got the job done in a very short space of time. Our local council are currently planting trees in public open spaces for the Queens Jubilee. They have got a digger and removed the grass, planted the small trees, covered the area with wood chips and used split hazel fencing to fence it off. A job well done I think. If that paddock was close to me I'd come and help you replant, weed and mulch. Karen

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

That's refreshing and satisfying to know that Councils have changed their practices and I can't help but notice the wildflower verges and roundabouts that are being created more and more too :) Just waiting on the client to digest what's happened and how they wish to proceed, I'll do an update on this but we only have a short window of course to continue with the bare-root planting until the end of March, otherwise we have to wait until much later in the year - potted trees as I am sure you know, will make this even more costly :/ Best wishes, as always - Joel

[@karenw9996]

If you can find them, the pads made to put on industrial-type floor scrubbers work great. They're round and have a hole already cut in the center. Put down at the time of planting, you can slip them right over the tree/shrub and hold them down with mulch or landscaping staples - put down when plants are bigger, just cut a slit to slip past the trunk, then use staples or mulch to hold the slit together so grass doesn't grow up in it.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Great idea Karen, and although I doubt these are biodegradable, they can be used again and again :) Thanks for this - best wishes, Joel

[@zunepower1984]

Love to see you fix this one !

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Me too! Just in discussion with the client about the best way forward at the moment, when we carry this out I'll be sure to take footage and upload a video on the improvement :) Best wishes - Joel

[@EnglishMadeleine]

All your asides are helpful, interesting and informative so there’s no need to apologise for them. Like you, I feel sorry for this client, and hope you can rectify the problem to their satisfaction. I’m sure you can.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

I appreciate that! Thanks Madeleine, so much :) I can't wait to get started and know that we can at least help those young saplings that have somehow managed to cling on to life - thanks for your support, best wishes - Joel

[@ColinMill1]

We had the incredible luck to be able to acquire a smallholding on the edge of the Peak District almost 25 years ago and have been steadily working at rewilding it (or letting it go the wrack and ruin as some of the local sheep-barons would have it). We decided early on that we needed to bring trees on to a reasonable size before planting them out and we have always had a small "forest" of trees in pots in the yard being brought on. Typically we plant out when they have reached at least 5ft and occupying at least a 12 inch pot - usually much bigger. We have concentrated on about 30 of the truly native species omitting only those that are unlikely to survive here (such as the Whitebeam). I'm not sure what our success rate is as its a little difficult to account for such things as ash die-back, etc but it must be well over 75% with success with some species like Alder being close to 100% (despite a serious local infestation of Alder Leaf beetle). I'm going to omit stupidity from the stats - like planting larch in an area that floods to a depth of 6 inches for parts of the winter. We are especially pleased with the field that the previous owner's Welsh Cobs had turned into a recreation of the Somme which is now a well-established wood.

[@rebeccaslater1398]

Joel, your work and knowledge is invaluable . Love the videos . Thankyou ❤

[@thepeopleplaceandnaturepod8344]

Thank you for sharing this informative video that sheds light on what should not be done in rewilding. It's great to learn from these insights and use them to guide our own rewilding efforts towards more positive outcomes. 🙌

[@Grow_a_Little]

Thank u for showing us this! I watched this video a few months ago and it has stuck with me since. From now on, I will ALWAYS remove grass when I'm planting ANYTHING. Grass really does outcompete everything else doesn't it?

[@gregf9160]

Good luck, Joel. Hope you can help somewhat to recover the project.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

We certainly can Greg, just waiting on the client to find the best way forward and get in and help those trees that are still alive at the moment - thanks for your support, best wishes - Joel

[@keithhanssen7413]

Hard to believe anyone would seriously think little saplings could compete with established, vigorous grasses. I think unfortunately it really needs to be completely redone.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Absolutely Keith, I'm in discussion with the client at the moment, the first thing to attend to of course is helping those saplings that are doing their best already, to thrive completely :) Best wishes, Joel

[@williamsclive2900]

Real shame for the owners of the feild... all I can say is at least they've got the right person for the job now .... keep up the good work Joel

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thank you Clive - I felt awful for them and it wasn't a nice discussion, it's almost like the old saying "measure twice, cut once..."! Thanks as always for your support - best wishes, Joel

[@Gnarmarmilla]

Thank you very much. I’m going to go out now and save the Red Maple tree I planted before it’s too late…

[@ethandoingstuff1433]

I disagree that the grass is taking water. But there’s not room for mycelium within the grass network. If you leave the grass, but also frequently add woodchip to the root zone then you get the same result. Regardless of the mechanism, it’s very true that too many people underrate the use of mulch mats/cardboard/etc.

[@stephenmckelvie2032]

To any gardener worth their salt, it's common sense to keep the surrounding area around the base of the shrub or tree clear. Whoever planted that lot was a cowboy.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

🤠 They're certainly out there! Couldn't agree more Stephen - I hope the rest of the channel gives you more optimism ;) Best wishes, Joel

[@karlitobergkamp8082]

Spot on. Clearly obvious the trees/saplings would struggle and die due to competition with the grasses. Imagine the pride of planting this area up and seeing it grow back over ten/twenty years and saying “I did that” instead the person who did this no doubt ended up with the client asking for their money back.

[@glenncordova4027]

I don't know the definition of a British cowboy but an American cowboy would know better

[@stephenmckelvie2032]

@@glenncordova4027 A cowboy in the UK, is someone who is a chancer. Someone who thinks he knows what he's doing, but doesn't.

[@markhunter2244]

Very sad to see, hopefully you get the chance to put it right 🌱

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Isn't it just Mark? We're going to save those that are hanging on first and then, if finances allow, replace those that were unfortunately lost. Best wishes, Joel

[@robertfinucane5229]

Great video again and great advice for managing tree planting especially on ground with established grassland. But I just wanted to flag your description of rewilding through natural regeneration is slightly off as it misses out the large herbivores. Prior to farming the UK was more heavily wooded than it had ever been but this was not a healthy ecosystem this was the end result of ecosystem collapse with the loss of large herbivores and the reduction in number of many others due to human hunting. Prior to this the country would have been covered with a mosaic landscapes of grasslands, meadows, wetlands, woods and scrub all intermingled much like the habitats you are replicating for your clients. It's this diversity of habitats mingled together that supports the most diversity of life where as closed canopy woodlands support very little comparitively. This is why rewilding only works at scale effectively, as it needs to be large enough to include these keystone species or atleast domestic proxies ( like cattle, ponies and pigs) at low densities to provide that push back against vegetation growth. Without it a few species of plant dominate and the ecosystem becomes less diverse in both species supported and structure. To that end rewilding should always hope to emulate a dynamic ecosystem, rather than a fixed habitat that changes over time due to natural processes. :)

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thanks Robert, appreciated. I absolutely agree with what you've written above, hence my mention of different views on rewilding - I wish I'd had more time to explain this but it wasn't a planned video at all, I just couldn't help but share what I'd discovered. I ensure an absolute mosaic of habitat when creating any reserve, the size doesn't matter, it's the diversity as you quite rightly say. I do talk about this in other videos, just wish I'd had more time that day. Best wishes, Joel

[@robertfinucane5229]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton thanks for clarifying. If you get a chance you might be interested to check out the garden rewilding project knepp are attempting in the old walled garden. Very different from the large scale rewilding they are famous for but trailing some different experimental ways to increase the diversity of habitat and species In a smaller space by replicating the ways large herbivores would impact the vegetation. :)

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hi Robert, thank you. I've visited Knepp a fair few times over the years, not since the pandemic of course but I remember the vast array of damselflies in so many areas - it was actually here that I saw a Purple Hairstreak Butterfly, was watching it intently and then out of nowhere a Broad Bodied Chaser ambushed it mid-air and took it right in front of my eyes! That's nature for you though. When I'm back West Sussex way again I'll try to make time to drop in and see the garden, sounds really interesting and, as you know (I'm guessing!), I've been rewilding gardens and larger areas for circa 17 years now :) Thanks for letting me know, really appreciate it - best wishes, Joel

[@UkAmphibians]

Thanks for sharing this joel I never knew this brilliant information 🐸💚🐸

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thank you - it's the small things, always, isn't it?! Glad this was helpful - I'm never keen on negative videos as you know but I couldn't keep this situation to myself, rather an ad-hoc video but I felt it was really necessary to share - best wishes, Joel

[@UkAmphibians]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton 💯 couldn’t agree more joel you will have saved 100s upon thousands of people now from making the same mistake and I could have been one Thankyou 🐸💚🐸

[@doncooper6801]

Your content is excellent, and you make great points about competition between the planting and existing species. However, you need some work on your delivery. But, don't give up. You will improve with effort and training.

[@englishtommy3039]

This was really interesting and just shows that some companies are all about profit rather than the long term success of the project. I guess it pays to do a little research before starting something like this and asking the right questions. Although to be fair to your client, paying the sort of money that they must have paid, they probably thought they were also paying for competence and expertise. Will you be doing a follow up to this Joel? it would be interesting and good to see. Thanks 👍

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hi there :) You're right. It wasn't a planned video, I'd just gone to check the site after being phoned by the client and couldn't help but share what I'd found so that others are aware, it's just a real shame that these young trees were no doubt healthy when planted and had little to no chance of survival. When the client has decided how they want to move forward I'll definitely do a video of this, we only have until end of March to bare-root plant though of course. Best wishes - Joel

[@englishtommy3039]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton I’m sure you’ll do your best 😁

[@gillianhigham3065]

I have some wool fleeces from a local farmer. Can I use that as a mulch around newly planted trees? Great channel. Always enjoy watching.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hi Gillian, thanks so much for this, so glad the channel is helpful :) The fleece will be absolutely fine, it's just about suppressing that grass growth and this will work well - best wishes, Joel

[@Artzenflowers]

That was actually very helpful information since I’m looking at planting trees into what is currently a grass and weed lawn! Thank you so much your information is very valuable.

[@Bow-to-the-absurd]

Remove turf or apply gyphosate 2 weeks prior to planting, thick mulch of bark will suppress weeds Plenty of good suggestions in the comments here. Dont forget the tree guard to deter grazing animals

[@arialblack87]

Definitely don't use glyphosate, unless you are fond of cancer and hate insects.

[@Bow-to-the-absurd]

@@arialblack87 try vinegar perhaps

[@Artzenflowers]

@@Bow-to-the-absurd in my case I will use sheets of cardboard to suppress existing turf grass and other aggressive weeds.

[@Bow-to-the-absurd]

@@Artzenflowers cheap and environmentally friendly

[@anemone104]

Ah, the 'squirrel not touching the ground' myth. The total coverage of the British Isles by woodland canopy is a myth, because preceding the northward colonisation of tree species as the ice withdrew, there were now-extinct large grazers/browsers (balanced by a range of now-extinct large carnivores) and these had an undoubted effect on developing/colonising habitat. Large areas of open habitat would have always been present. Joe squirrel would have had to take lots and lots of detours in his journey. Then came humans, starting in the Mesolithic, we cleared woodland: first hunting clearings and then for slash-and-burn agriculture and on light, easily-tilled soils creating vast areas of heathland. By the Roman invasion, much of the centre of the main island of the UK was actively farmed. Britannia was part of the bread basket of the Empire, producing wheat off the back of the amazing natural irrigation (rain) our climate provides. The 'wild woods' of the Weald of Sussex and Kent were rigorously protected as coppice by the Roman iron masters for charcoal production for iron and also produced glass and other products fired by charcoal and 'white coal'. The Weald may well have gone wild after the Romans but was again protected by Medieval ironmasters, for the same reasons. You're right about this site needing mulch mats or other grass suppression. Kind of nice to see that chemical suppression (easy, quick and cost effective) wasn't used!

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Great info, thanks for sharing this with us :) Best wishes - Joel

[@gardenonthemoors]

Thanks for highlighting, I always clear the area around trees when I plant them out so it's good to see that it is worth it for happy trees! I'm sure that site is salvageable and you'll make a good job of it 👍

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hi there :) It is absolutely salvageable but it wasn't nice explaining to the client where the planting had gone wrong, a waste of man hours and young saplings, let alone the money. Best wishes, Joel

[@gardenonthemoors]

Absolutely, best of luck with the project ☺️

[@mezsaimnieciba]

Thanks, for nice video. I have the same problem, how to establish nut (hazel, walnut, chestnut) trees in grassland. Could you share some resource about sheet mulch experiences? I have 5ha :) Latvia.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

You're very welcome - apologies for the delay but if you see this message then do drop me a line at [e-mail] and we can speak about it further, and you will be able to send a few photos so that I can advise appropriately :) I'm happy to help, best wishes - Joel

[@onewaytosavetheday]

Even as a home gardener, I know to mulch around my plantings, trees, veggies, or whatever. This was an awfully expensive lesson. I'm kind of shocked the person (company?) hired didn't know to do that. I would feel they were liable for the failure of the project, assuming the owners did, in fact, hire a company to plant. Either way, I hope they endure through this mishap and continue to rewild their property - it's a valiant goal!

[@ironimp1]

When I plant trees on my farm I cut up used carpet into squares and cut a slot to the centre to cover the grass. I am not sure if there are any unintended consequences with using old carpet?

[@george-1961]

Feel sad for the people who thought the so called wild landscapers were doing a good job for them

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Me too George, as you could probably tell it was pretty hard to witness when I walked round the site and saw such a huge loss of life, let alone the waste of finance on the client's part of course. We'll be able to rectify it, but not bring dead trees back to life unfortunately, what a waste all round. Best wishes - Joel

[@george-1961]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton The only blessing is that they are in safe hands now Joel 😉

[@Steve.M]

The thought of the cost involved in replacing all those trees reminded me that it may be possible to get trees for free. Investigate what is available from your local council, or other organisations and charities. Often larger quantities of trees are available for community projects, schools, or publicly accessible land. Our council was giving away up to five free native trees for private gardens last year.

[@Frostie3672]

Our local council has made the same mistake, they planted trees in areas of grass all around the area but they've done exactly the same as that area.

[@debbiehenri345]

I wonder whether some landscaping firms have the wrong idea about aftercare advice for customers - since I once lived somewhere with an excess of allotments (the enthusiasm for keeping one having dwindled in the local population). So I suggested 'rewilding' them (by a different name). The council was keen and organised for me to meet with a environment grants manager from the county council. He told me that he did this sort of thing for a lot of farmers in the area, but what they did was over-maintain the trees. His advice to me was to plant then leave them, don't worry about weeds and grass afterwards. So, could it be that some landscape firms are abiding by inaccurate advice provided long ago by grant bodies that had different ideas then? In my own rewilding/permaculture project at home, I have tried to keep grasses down around new trees and shrubs twice a year (as I didn't want to kill the grass off, and didn't like the look of many of these KZbin permaculture projects where they put down woodchip deserts around a few trees. They look terrible, glaringly bare and lifeless, and I'm not sure they're going to be as good for the environment as the KZbinrs claim). This year, with most of the shrubs and trees in their 2nd year upwards, I didn't bother to do so much grass clearing, as I have a greenhouse to build and a perennial bramble problem to deal with. So I'm hoping that my plants will not mind my lack of attention (they don't grow as fast as plants in normal ground, as my soil is very thin and has taken the best part of 20 years to build up from bare rock and scrubby bits of turf).

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Some good points here Debbie, thank you :) As you know, as long as you keep an eye on them, in between everything else you have to do (!), they will fare well and you will be rewarded - best wishes, Joel

[@pluffer96]

Well said!

[@rebeccawayne1758]

hey Joel, I'm purchasing a house, and the front yard is 1/2 an acre and I want to turn it into a wildflower/ clover field. The rest of the property is trees. Any suggestions?

[@davidjames2145]

Half my summer is spent molly-coddling my baby trees. I never use tubes because they limit lower limb growth; you can spot tube-grown trees a mile away as they look like they've been grazed by cattle. All my trees (200+ and rising) have bespoke guards I made from rabbit mesh to the size needed. Small ones for saplings are swapped out for larger ones as they grow so that lower limb growth is never impeded. The guards stand 110cm tall because we have roe deer. The bases are hand-weeded in the Spring and I've found that the best suppression for me is two full newspapers placed one each side of the stem/trunk and mulched with cut grass, shredded bark or chainsaw shavings. I find the newspapers last more than a year whereas cardboard is barely 6 months. Tree bark is the best mulch of all if thick enough, but it needs a base such as newspaper or even a disc of weed membrane. Also, scythe, scythe, scythe. It's a nice job anyway, but keeping the grass down reduces water stress in hot weather. I use the cuttings to mulch the bases. Trees, correctly nurtured, are _a lot_ of work for the first 3-4 years, more than people realise. I also use cell-grown over bare root and my losses have so far been well below 1% (0.02% actually). The work is worth it though - watching them grow is _utter joy_ . 😊 🇬🇧

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thanks so much for this David, some excellent advice and you certainly know what you're doing. The work you put in certainly reaps rewards at the end, I'm really grateful for you sharing this - we have a great community here and input like this is invaluable to help others. Best wishes - Joel

[@davidjames2145]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Thank you Joel. We've just bought your book - _Wild Your Garden_ - and absolutely love it. It's stuffed to the edges with tips and advice which we are absorbing. Next project: Pond. We'd like to do a large one but the price of butyl is crazy, so we're going for a sequence of smaller ponds scattered about (we have room), all following your design recommendations. Thank you for sharing your experience with us all. 👍 🇬🇧

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

@@davidjames2145 Well, that's just made a pretty hard week seem worth it now 😁 I really appreciate this - yes, EPDM does seem to have rocketed in price, along with a lot of other materials but if you need any help/advice at any point please feel free to send an email to me at [e-mail] and I'll be happy to help out, please don't hesitate - and if I'm ever in the area and have time (I work country-wide) then I'd love to see this haven you are creating 🙂

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Oh! And shameless plug but if you do need liner, fleece, plants etc then please send an email to [e-mail] and we'll be happy to help and advise. You can find all you need here: www.wildyourgarden.com 😄

[@SongDog9]

I think it looks better when they are planted randomly not measured

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Couldn't agree more! It needs to be more "natural" looking, nature doesn't measure space before allowing saplings to grow :) Best wishes - Joel

[@joannahandley7367]

Is it OK to use wood chippings as a mulch round new trees or do they rob nitrogen from the ground?

[@Bow-to-the-absurd]

Bark mulch can lock up nitrogen due to bacterial activity. This wont be a problem if mulch is left on the soil surface . Dont dig it in.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

@Joanna - wood chippings are fine, as long as the source of the wood can be verified, as diseases such as honey-fungus can still exist in chipped wood unfortunately. Some here are suggesting cardboard which is a good idea, it's all just about keeping the competitive grasses in check :) Best wishes, Joel

[@wegojim5124]

Why are the trees planted so close to each other aswell???

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Good point and well observed! This was a huge waste of the client's money and a sad loss of all those trees of course - it's being rectified very soon :) Best wishes, Joel

[@jambo7545]

Good video showing some real-world consequences - as you say, this could have had 20% less trees, mulch mats under the guards and been a much better result. What might be a suggested solution to doing this on a field scale - we put in a 400m mixed hedge a few years ago and cultivated the ground beforehand. Obviously the grasses are starting to re-establish and I think the plants need another couple of years to really get away. I don't want to go down the spray route - do we need a big pile of wood chip? Ironically we're already seeing hares using the grass and hedge for cover.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hi there - firstly, well done to you for making 400m of hedging available to wildlife now, fantastic! :) Wood chip will need to be checked to ensure that the source has no chemicals in it of course, but you could always use grass cuttings if you have a sufficient amount, this will prevent new grasses establishing and of course break-down to provide more nutrient and allow water ingress. I appreciate the scale that you have to think about here too though :) It's just a case of ensuring those grass roots don't starve the tree/shrub roots. Great stuff re the hares, all your efforts will be rewarded, it goes without saying - best wishes, Joel

[@jambo7545]

Thanks for replying so quickly. As you say, it's anything that gives the hedge plants a chance. All the best for the coming season!

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

@@jambo7545 You too! And you're very welcome, do let me know how you get on and all the wildlife that you are rewarded with - best wishes to you and yours, Joel

[@rigajykra3159]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton how can you check if the woodchip source has chemicals in it? Sometimes I feel like I’m Going back in steps.

[@irrichman]

@6:25 Give your new trees some free space against the existing grass. Dig a square of the grass off, then plant the tree.

[@simonmasters3295]

💯 percent clear the grass. Swallow your principles and think about usingg chemicals to kill the grass. Also use an auger rather than slit plant.

[@cichlidsid]

I like the idea of not planting anything and letting nature take its course. One would no doubt be rewarded with superior plants, due to them having been self-sown and consisting of local diversity. It would be a joy to see what emerges. I am a new subscriber and I love your approach and always make sure to like your content and let the few short Ads roll.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hi there! Thank you so much for your kind words and support, it means a lot. I have filmed a meadow from creation to a few days ago over 15 months and I hope to upload the video very soon, I think you will enjoy that :) I am so sorry that I could not reply sooner but it is the busiest time of the year at the moment with work, and the recent heatwave meant it was impossible to work so we have been working extra hours now and weekends. I have so many videos to edit, finish and upload, I will do my best to do this more regularly :) Thank you again, take care and best wishes to you and yours - Joel

[@SamDoeckeAussiebonsaibloke]

All great points. Doesn't the land owner need to take some responsibility for after-care also. I know I'd be out there myself caring for them.

[@taxusbaccata6332]

The older generation adviser flipping the turf when planting trees to kill off the grass around the tree.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

This can be done, but it's not 100% as sometimes the grass will find a way to regrow from this, but that's not to say that it doesn't help in the very early years with saplings :) Best wishes, Joel

[@robinbennett3531]

I've planted double row hedges in grass and inverted the sods, no guards 'cos few rabbits etc.They were fine and thrived. Planted in autumn. Just saying it's not always like this

[@stevehiggins1263]

Wow I wonder what the original installer said about the situation... literally some cardboard and with a shovel or 2 of mulch on top and this could of been a different story.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Hi Steve - absolutely right, just a tiny amount of extra effort and all of these trees could have survived, it certainly wasn't the quality of them otherwise even more would have failed - just a real shame, even grass mulch around the base can help. Not sure what the original installer said, I think the client was too upset to even remember! Hope you're doing well, best wishes - Joel

[@taxusbaccata6332]

I add Dock seed to my saplings to smash through compacted soil and deposit nutrients at the end of the season. There are always worms around Dock tap root. Seems to work great. The need for rabbit guards disappeared as the fox patrols every night and the development of vegetation made the saplings less obvious. Once the saplings are above grass height they seem to be OK. It is true though that a base of mulch results in stunning growth - competition suppression, feed for soil microbiology, nutrients and trapped humidity is likely a huge benefit to roots. I have briars/brambles on the march though my fields - I need to hold firm and be brave - the soil will be superior and they are amazing food and habitat.

[@DrRock2009]

Check out Chiltern Heritage Orchards for how to plant a tree…👍

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Or this! 😀 kzbin.info/www/bejne/haCZhGikftJ5hdk

[@ronward3949]

Native Rodents that burrow do loosen soil sub-surfaces by denning, tunneling, and thereby, integrating soil nutrition cycles within, all adding to onsite productivity by yearly use of native species. Rarely do Rodent diseases come about due to Species of burrowers that may be existing. Non-native unlimited access will cause overgrazing, yet various Techniques such as Controlled burns, site preparations or care to mature levels exist when these Individuals outgrow their loss to predation.

[@angel21991]

Hey Joel ! Really informative content you got here, appreciate that immensely. Im new to the rewilding approach through permaculture and other strategies, so im just going around understanding how it is done in various kinds of geographical locations from the tropics to up north. I keep finding atleast in the tropics and some places in southern US they have tried the miyawaki method to boost newly designed and in the ground rewilding project in various scales. I am really curious what a miyawaki style rewilding would look like in a grass land, prairies type ecosystems. Have you come across one of those? or have you experimented with it? Would love to know your insights on the same. Cheers!

[@audreyshannon8709]

The council where I live planted a load of trees & because no one watered them, they all died. No care & no community.

[@mumofthomas]

Better to do it yourself. Plant a few saplings a year but do it well. I presume in this case the landowner got a grant. Which might have seemed like easy money but not if you have to pay it back 'cos the trees all failed.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Absolutely, but the owners are an older couple and weren't in a position to do this themselves, so got a contractor in to do it - and I don't think they even considered a grant to be honest, they just wanted to make the most of a redundant field for wildlife. We're able to rectify it though and should start pretty soon :) Best wishes, Joel

[@ronward3949]

Horse that reside onsite, will promote Native Seed sources, by manure and release of undigested seeds, etc., which later germinate as water or seed germination takes place. Without over grazing various promotion site nutrient cycling, re-cycyling, is maintained by ungulate, the horse, yearly use, preference, and access to native vegetation grasses, probably perennials well rooted and stable. Disturbances enhance individual survivorship and selective growth patterns. This composite Site diversity starts to form the actual relationships of flowering plants, brushy plants, Riparian Species to use niches

[@iseriver3982]

It's a wonder how trees ever grew before humans were around to plant them 🤔

[@joshbraaksma7455]

I've seen so many people just stick something in the ground Never water it No critter protection Not a great hole it's stuck in etc etc etc Walk away and lose everything

[@alberpajares4792]

Lynxes should not be missed in north hemisphere forest environments, because are there habitats, that’s for sure,..

[@topp0009]

that's why the other lady's 10yr old tress wernt growing well, full of grass all around.. learn everyday, plz get land owners to join up woods to mk a St george wood a cross across the UK

[@tomm4073]

There is a saying with the word 'stupid', I don't quite remember. Something like 'no cure for stupidity'. Anyone out there knows the right phrase?

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

I know it's the title of a song :) Best wishes - Joel

[@myggggeneration]

"Can't fix stupid" :-)

[@pluffer96]

Yer, don't do what DEFRA did, and bring in Ash die back ( Chalara ) into the country from tree saplings bought from Dutch tree nurseries, and then blame it on prevailing winds from Europe.

[@philipbyerleyjohnson5106]

In 2022, a prolonged dry July/Aug period with record breaking heat extreme, probably lowered a general average percentage, of newly planted saplings, survival rate. Some larger, more expensive specimens planted for Her Majesty The Queen's June Jubilee, disappointingly, also did not make it. A porous sapling surround, that allowed water to pass down through but yet aided ground water retention, with less evaporation must have been better for sapling survival, than plants such as grass, which were summer water users, from near the top surface of ground layers, through transpiration. So let's replant, but some with less expertise in identifying which deciduous tree saplings are dormant and recoverable, rather than dead, might need to wait for signs of first Spring leaves, to be sure.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thanks for this Philip, some good points made :) Best wishes, Joel

[@daltonmoorfarmschoolofsust6798]

I agree with Philip - best to wait for spring to see which trees are truly dead rather than dormant - not always easy to tell. Also agree that the drought through most of last summer will have played a part in depriving the trees of water. Owner needed to be out checking and watering. Curious to know why you would decide to dig up the dead saplings? If they are dead they will pull out easily, or may have already snapped from the root. Alternatively just leave them to nature and plant new in a different spot if replanting.

[@hoverboverer]

All true, but ironically they will end up with a more interesting stand because of their slipshod methodology (lots of gaps in an otherwise uninteresting even age stand of trees). Truth is they would get a result with much more wildlife value letting the trees plant themselves as and when (hawthorn, ash, hazel and oak have no problem self seeding in established grassland). Planting trees in the UK is mostly just about making people feel good about themselves. It wastes time and money, is unnecessary and produces less varied habitat than if you did absolutely nothing in most instances .

[@Gos1234567]

If you just do nothing how long would it take for native trees to establish themselves?

[@hoverboverer]

@@Gos1234567 If the area has been grassland for a long time, the trees might already be there. The Park grass experiment at Rothamsted is over 150 years old, cut every year in June. It has many oaks that look like seedlings but are, in fact, trees many decades old (some >100 yrs) that get, effectively, coppiced each year. Arable land wont have this 'bank' of trees but, once abandoned, the open conditions will provide a window for the wind blown seeds of birch and willow to establish.

[@nicktozie6685]

With all our bloody technology we can't even plant a dumb tree? Comet,come get us

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

🤣😂Brilliant!

[@ronward3949]

These Species may select browsing Species and highly favor sprouts and seedlings, cover can shelter them at crucial rooting maturation before shoot productivity is compromised. Rooting size matters so estimate rooting times of perennials so as to increase Survivorship.

[@zlypy]

Took too long to get to the point

[@GloryDaze73]

What a shame... Bad planning and bad results.

[@jamespeatling7660]

My mother always said ‘a half crown hole for a sixpenny plant’. Your rambling stance fails to engage,I recommend you have script prepared. Oak forest was laid out at 12 to the acre.60’ apart.

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thanks for this James, unfortunately I am not a "full time" youtuber and make videos when I am out and about, going to or from or actually at work, so I'm unable to make relevant scripts as I never know what I will come across :) would be different if I was reviewing washing machines but nature is very fluid and difficult to prepare for - best wishes, Joel

[@danyoutube7491]

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton I didn't have a problem with the presentation of your point, you didn't talk about anything irrelevant and it was clear that you were going somewhere with your explanation. I think short attention spans and impatience are the problem!

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

@@danyoutube7491 Thank you Dan, I appreciate this. With literally millions of viewers on the YT platform, it's extremely difficult to please everyone so I'm grateful for your encouragement - best wishes, Joel

[@elisasampson1810]

xxxxxxx

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thank you Elisa :) Best wishes, Joel

[@scottdavidson4446]

Get to the point man!

[@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton]

Thanks for the comment. Can I suggest watching the whole video to see me “get to the point…”? Thanks.

[@johnsmith-bx4rn]

Persuaded my wife we should rewild our large garden , snigger