Is compost needed Hornbeam bare root hedge planting?

BathMoney

Hello all,
Have just ordered 130 Hornbeam 40/60cm bare roots.
Our soil is a bit clay like to give you some idea water is retained after recent heavy rainfall in the dipped areas.
Am planting between tree stumps I have already cut out roots from the line of planting.   
Will add bonemeal into the backfill and root grow.  Is there any need to add in a compost of any kind?  

princeofpounds

Thoughts differ... Used to be yes, now many sources say no, let them grow into the 'natural' soil. Personally in clay I would add some compost.

EssexExile

https://www.hedging.co.uk/acatalog/new_hedges.html

donemedosh

Hornbeam will grow in clay soil as they are pretty tough plants. I would just dig out plant & just backfill.

sgun

If you are planting where trees used to be then the soil will be compacted and probably quite poor - might be why the water isn't draining. Make sure you have dug down and out at least twice the size of the roots (40/60 hornbeam, roots approx 15cm across and 30cm deep so double that for your hole*). I would actually add compost in this situation, I wouldn't normally for hornbeam. I would put in some mycorrhizal fungi to help the roots establish (Root Grow but you can get cheaper non-branded), again, I wouldn't normally for horn beam but your site sounds poor. Bare roots have about an 80% success rate. I wouldn't add bonemeal to bare root even in the backfill  mix, the compost and mycorrhizal should do the job. You don't want to burn the roots by accident, hornbeam should be ok without.

*Just to edit that - you don't need a hole 30x60cm, you need to make sure that the soil around the planting trench isn't compacted from the trees and roots that were there previously as this will prevent the new roots from growing. i.e. make sure that 30/60cm approx has been cultivated. You can still plant in a slit if you think the soil isn't compacted.

BathMoney

sgun said:

i.e. make sure that 30/60cm approx has been cultivated. You can still plant in a slit if you think the soil isn't compacted.

princeofpounds said:

Thoughts differ... Used to be yes, now many sources say no, let them grow into the 'natural' soil. Personally in clay I would add some compost.

Thanks all, to be on the safe side will add some compost.
So dig through 60cm across 30cm down and add in the compost a couple of days before the order arrives?
How much compost would you be inclined to buy for this size job?  

BathMoney

Looking again maybe it's just been compacted by roots, it crumbles when I break between fingers.

princeofpounds

Yeah looks heavy but I've seen worse. In fact, I've got worse! 

How much? Not much, we're talking 2-4 generous handfuls per hole maybe. It's just to help them on and assist drainage immediately around the root a bit by loosening the structure, not trying to dramatically change the soil composition.

BathMoney

Thanks that's very helpful, have just ordered some in expectation of plants arriving. 

sgun

Was that a conifer? Conifer roots are shallow but they do take up a lot of nutrients from the surrounding soil. Have you tried to dig down yet? It might be tougher than you think. Make sure you have some secateurs and loppers handy to cut through the old branching and lateral roots. You have 130? Hopefully they aren't all going between old stumps!

BathMoney

Have used a reciprocating saw great at removing most of the roots I think it took me 8 days in total also sunken concrete something or other to dispose of.