Thank you for your interest in this programme all the tree pack are now allocated. We still have FREE trees available from our I Dig Trees programme. Order yours now before they’re gone!

The Mayor of London is working with The Conservation Volunteers to give away 25,000 trees this autumn to community groups, schools, and other organisations across the capital.

Your trees will be a mixture of UK native species specially chosen by The Conservation Volunteers to fit perfectly with London’s native plant and animal life. They come in packs of 50, 20 or 10 saplings – and they’re small, beautiful and easy to plant, making them the perfect addition to any communal green space.

Your trees will be delivered in time for planting during National Tree Week, between 23 November and 1 December 2019.

We’re also available to help you plan your community planting event, choose the right trees for your space, or just get started if you’re new to tree planting. Contact Judith at trees@tcv.org.uk, or on 07483 045 713 with any questions.

Our community tree packs are part of the Mayor of London’s programme to plant thousands of trees across the capital this autumn during National Tree Week. Do your bit. #PlantATree

Several different packs are available

Hedgerow pack of 50 trees (5 species)

Fruiting pack of 50 trees (5 species)

Wildlife pack of 50 trees (5 species)

Single species pack of 10 trees

Single species pack of 20 trees

We’ve tried to answer frequently asked questions below. Read our tree planting guide for instructions on what to do when your trees arrive.

FAQs

Who is eligible for the tree packs?

We welcome applications from community groups, housing associations, tenants or residents associations, schools, friends of parks groups and other charities.

Still not sure if you qualify?

No problem, please email us and we will contact you to discuss; trees@tcv.org.uk

How big are the trees?

The trees are all two years old and easily transportable as they are between 60

and 100 cm tall.

Here’s an idea just how big your trees are

What trees are in the packs?

Three different packs of 50 trees are available. Packs of 10 or 20 trees are available in any of the single species listed below.

Hedgerow Pack of 50 trees

Hawthorn

Blackthorn

Common dogwood

Dog rose

Hazel

Fruiting Pack of 50 trees

Hazel

Spindle

Common buckthorn

Blackthorn

Elder

Wildlife Pack of 50 trees

Alder buckthorn

Wayfaring tree

Common dogwood

Spindle

Goat willow

Where can we plant the trees?

The trees should be planted in publicly accessible spaces where you have landowner permission to plant.

Are the packs only available in London?

As this scheme is run with the Mayor of London, the tree packs are only available within London. Tree packs are available through other TCV schemes to groups elsewhere in the UK.

How many packs can I have?

If you want 50 or more trees, you can order up to 4 packs, a total of 200 trees. If you want less than 50 trees, you can order between 10 and 40 trees in multiples of 10. However, we do ask that you only order volumes which you are sure you can plant.

I would like more than 200 trees?

Subject to availability we may be able to support larger volumes, please contact TCV to discuss your requirements – trees@tcv.org.uk

Can I mix the trees within the packs?

Sadly no. Due to the scale of this programme we are unable to accommodate this request. However, you are able to choose different packs within your order mix, and you can order different packs of 10 trees if you want less than 50 trees.

Do the trees come with protection?

Yes, but this is optional. All the trees can be supplied with: 50 x spiral guards (60cm x 50mm diameter) and supporting cane (90cm) packaged in a protective bag.

Do we need permission to plant the trees?

Yes, you must obtain permission from the landowner to plant the trees, as all future responsibility for the trees will rest with the landowner. If you want advice on finding a site to plant or obtaining permissions, contact us at trees@tcv.org.uk or call 07483 045 713 and we can help.

Are there areas I shouldn’t plant trees?

Yes: anywhere you do not have permission to do so, not too close to power lines, buildings or roads, or on existing valuable habitat like meadows or wetlands.

Where are the trees from?

All the trees are supplied by TCV’s national tree partner; they are an approved supplier of UK provenance stock in accordance with the Forest Reproductive Materials Regulations (2002).

Can I amend or cancel my order?

Order amends or cancellations can be made before the 18th of November, and up to 2 weeks before your agreed delivery date. Beyond this, we regret that we cannot amend your order due to the volume of distribution we have to manage.

When will my trees arrive?

Your trees can be delivered between the 18th – 28th November, in time for

London’s planting week. We encourage you to be part of this and plant your

trees between 23rd November and the 1st December.

The last day for ordering trees will be 21st November for delivery on the 28th November.

Can the courier call me before they deliver?

Unfortunately, our couriers are not able to call you. We would expect someone to be available between 9.00-5.00pm on the date you have agreed to receive delivery of your trees.

What if I am not in when you deliver?

If possible, our courier will leave the trees in a safe location near to the delivery point. Failing that we would arrange a second delivery, but this could delay you actually receiving your trees.

How are the trees packaged and delivered?

Once the order has been picked, the trees are then placed into heavy gauge plastic bags and securely tied prior to dispatch to ensure the roots remain damp during transport.

Delivery is by a national parcel carrier for our smaller parcels. These may arrive either as a single parcel or multiple parcels for one consignment, dependent upon the nature of your order. Larger orders are securely palletised and sent through a national palletline company.

How should I care for them prior to planting?

All trees trees should be planted within one week of delivery. Find out more about planting and caring for your trees.

Please also check out our videos on looking after your trees.

I don’t have the tools to plant a tree?

Specialised tools aren’t really required, though a good quality spade will make your day easier. We recommend a rabbiting/planting spade.

We need help to actually plant all our trees

If you would like to recruit volunteers to help you plant your trees during National Tree Week, we can help, and the Mayor of London will be hosting event listings. Email trees@tcv.org.uk or call 07483 045 713 for advice on volunteer recruitment, managing events and more.

Follow and share your tree planting activities

#PlantATree | @LDN_gov | @TCVtweets

Got a question about tree packs or planting? Email trees@tcv.org.uk or call Judith on 07483 045 713.

Tree Planting Guide

Thank you for doing your bit to help make London a little bit greener – we really appreciate it. We would love you to plant your trees as part of National Tree Week, between 23 November and 1 December 2019.

This planting guide will help you plan your planting event, and make sure that your trees get off to the best possible start.

Step 1: unpack and check your trees

Check that the species, number, and height of the trees are correct. Check that the roots are damp and in good order. The root structure of species can vary between fibrous and tap-rooted, i.e. not so fibrous. Check that the tree stems are in a healthy and fresh condition and not dried out or brittle. Remember that the trees are currently in a dormant state so don’t expect leaves in full flush. For reassurance, scrape back the stem of the tree (using your fingernail) to reveal green underneath the bark. This represents a healthy tree. Check the tree as a whole to make sure no roots or stems have been broken or damaged during transit.

Step 2: look after your trees before planting them

All trees and should be planted within one week of delivery. The trees can be ‘heeled in’ immediately or alternatively will remain healthy in their bags for up to 7 days. Make sure the bags containing the trees are stored in a cool building overnight and are kept out of the elements. Any overnight frost contact with the bags can be damaging to the trees. If you are unable to plant them within this time period, we recommend that you ‘heel’ your trees into the ground for safe storage and to keep them healthy. ‘Heeled in’ trees will store happily throughout the winter period until you are ready to plant them.

Step 3: if you need to, temporarily heel your trees in

Start by digging a V-shaped trench, wide enough and deep enough to hold the roots of the trees you are to heel in. Remove the trees from any packaging and place them at an angle in the trench in their bundles, so that the roots are at the bottom and the trunk or base of the tree rests up the side of the trench. Backfill the trench with soil to cover the roots. You can then use your heel to firm the trees in and remove any air pockets. Water the trees once in position. They will stay there quite happily throughout the winter period. Do not remove or try to plant during frost or snow conditions. Be wary of leaving trees beyond the planting season as you do not wish them to break dormancy prior to planting them in their permanent position. The ‘rule of thumb’ deadline is generally around mid-April, dependent upon the timing of spring.

Step 4: remove your heeled in trees

When you are ready to relocate the trees to their permanent position, gently remove and loosen the soil from the trench. We recommend using a trowel or your fingers, instead of a spade or shovel, to prevent accidentally damaging the roots. When you feel the bundles becoming loose then pull from the ground and gently shake off any excess soil from the roots. If the roots have remained damp, then place your trees within a planting bag in readiness for planting. Alternatively, it wouldn’t harm to give them a ‘drink’ prior to planting. Fill a bucket with water and place the plant roots within. Allow them to soak for 5–10 minutes. Drain off and place within the planting bag.

Step 5: plant your trees

DO NOT PLANT IF THE GROUND IS FROZEN OR WATERLOGGED.

Planting your trees is an easy task, as bare-rooted trees can be notch-planted. Here’s how:

If not already decided upon, find a suitable position for your trees, bearing in mind how tall and wide they will grow to maturity. Begin by inserting the blade of a spade into the ground, push the spade handle away from you and then bring it back towards you. Once you remove the spade, you will see that you have created a cavity in the ground. Place the tree roots within the cavity and shake to ensure that all of the roots are pointing downwards] Use your heel to firm the soil around the tree to remove any air pockets. Once planted, give them a good watering to aid recovery.

Step 6: fit protection for your trees

Tree protection should be securely fitted following planting. Firstly, secure the cane or stake next to the planted tree, then follow up and fit the spiral guard as the final task. Spirals should be placed over both the tree and the cane – the only purpose of the cane is to hold the spiral up. Netguards should be held up with two canes in opposite corners of the guard.

Step 7: maintain your trees

To increase prospects for survival and subsequent growth rate, the implementation of a maintenance programme is essential. Lack of weeding is the biggest single killer of young planted trees. It is far cheaper to weed than to replace dead trees. Weeded trees establish faster and need less maintenance overall. However, when planting bare-root stock, it is not unusual for natural losses to occur so always expect a small percentage of failures to be replaced in the first two years following planting. You must eradicate weed competition at the base of trees for the first three growing seasons. This can be done by chemical means or by hand weeding. If you have protection on the trees, you can safely spray the base to kill off weeds and grasses with appropriate herbicides, without risk of chemicals touching the trees. Check at least twice a year that all protective sundries are securely fitted and replace where necessary. Protection should be maintained for at least 5 years.

For more help on planting trees, take a look at our Conservation Handbooks – there’s one specifically about tree planting and aftercare.