advice on Oriental Plane trees

Treesforlife

Hi everyone,
I have found reading this site very rewarding - so I thought I might ask advice.
A friend of mine came across a person who had been growing Oriental Plane trees in large plastic bags, but the buyer who was supposed to take them no longer wanted them (he was a developer). The trees were around 4 years old and were growing in lines similar to an orchard. The roots had grown through the bags and into the soil. He was selling the trees to anyone who was interested. I have just purchased a 2 acre property - so thought I would take a few and plant them there.
When I collected them, they were around 7 mtrs tall and the roots were quite compacted - but they seemed to be surviving. I hired and excavator to dig the holes I would need to accommodate the trees roots and planted them last weekend. The soil I have is clay , but when digging the holes there were quite a few worms in the soil - which I thought was a good sign. I have put irrigation hose into each hole, so I can water the roots of the trees effectively. What else will I need to do in order to encourage them to grow? Is there any nutrients which I can feed them to encourage root growth? Do you thing buying them like this will be a success or have they been damaged by growing in the bags for so long?

Eric Frei

My concern is girdling roots.

Have a read through this thread and see the pictures in it.

Unhealthy melaleuca leucadendra (broad leaf paperbark)

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Treesforlife

Sorry, what thread were you referring to?

Eric Frei

The melaleuca one

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Treesforlife

Thanks for that - the thread wasnt there in the first message I received.

Now looking at the photos and reading the interaction between you and the member, it looks like I probably shouldnt have bought the trees at all. I will have to see how they go, as they are all planted now. I will make sure the soil is away from the trunk as you have mentioned. Is there anything I can give them with may encourage root growth?