Planting Oaks in Thick Brambles

Last Night of Tree Planting on Dartmoor

Two more bags of trees, collected today.  one to be planted and one to be stashed for a more tricky site in the day time tomorrow.

Tonight I aim to get this very brambly patch, along-side the leat planted up and mostly with tough little Oak trees.  The site is a good mile away from my home and getting to the particular bit I want to do, involves much climbing and balancing between unfathomable bodies of water.  

Brambles

One reason why I had put off planting this bit, was because of the brambles.  They are difficult to walk through, difficult to tell what is land and what is not land and they are not all that easy to plant things in, although they do offer anything planted amongst them a great deal of protection from any potential grazing creatures, provided that such trees are taller than the Brambles and won't get smothered by them.

When planting anything in Bramble clumps, especially at the dead of night; it is virtually impossible to do so, without acquiring some kind of lacerations.  After tonight I shall probably be removing splinters of their thorns from my hands for the next month.

Oaks

Because of the Oak's big tap roots; they need nice deep, but narrow holes.  So long as the roots are not dried out and/or the tap roots are not too badly severed; they should ought to grow.

All planted!  Hands scratched and bleeding; I head home with my empty bag & trusty handleless spade for the last night-time planting mission as a Dartmoor resident.  Tomorrow I will be in a totally different place and a totally different era of my life.

Stay tuned.......