Cambridge Direct Tree Seeding offers a progressive and cost effective solution for establishing trees and shrubs on hostile sites.

Direct tree seeding involves the sowing of tree and shrub seed directly on to the site, producing a plant community with a natural appearance which adapts and hardens to its immediate environment. Herbaceous and shrub species are sown with trees providing protective nurse cover and improving biodiversity.

Selected seed mixes are sown by hydroseeding. It is ideally suited to hostile sites with poor substrates where conventional planting may fail.

Process

Direct tree seeding specifications are written using data gathered on seed viability and field emergence rates to establish the likely success of establishing a seedling per m2 per given quantity of seed, with this information it is possible to produce a balanced naturally establishing woodland mimicking natural regeneration with the desired number of seedlings per m2 in the correct ratio. Along with the final selected species we generally sow nurse crops to aid establishment and provide a microclimate in the formative years while the main species establish.

Prior to sowing the tree seeds are treated to bring them out of dormancy using a number of techniques depending on each individual species. Once the tree seeds have had their dormancy broken they are categorized into different sizes and then sown onto the prepared site using a number of conventional and hydroseeding methods. This is generally done during the winter months.

The seedlings establish over a number of years ultimately providing robust natural woodland. A large part of the process is controlling the detrimental factors which range from predation, to climatic extremes and invasive weeds, this is done by careful site appraisal and addressing the individual issues that each site presents using a number of different methods.