Boost Tree Survival and Cut Watering: A Proven Planting Method
01/01/2020 - 00:00
Whether you’re planting trees in urban spaces, parks, or large-scale landscapes, the early years after planting are critical. Traditionally, the first two years have been seen as the main establishment window – but with hotter summers, longer droughts, and more unpredictable weather, many newly planted trees now need support for three to five years to survive and thrive. But success isn’t just about choosing the right species – it’s about supporting the soil from day one. This article explores how one simple soil improvement step can help trees establish faster, reduce watering needs, and improve long-term survival – with proven results.
The critical establishment period: why so many trees fail
Across project types - from urban parks to large-scale planting schemes - the challenges are remarkably consistent:
- Low water availability due to drought or poor retention
- Transplant shock from root stress and temperature swings
- Compacted or poor soils in disturbed or urban areas
- Inadequate maintenance post-installation
Even with proper maintenance in place, newly planted trees can still struggle - particularly during increasingly unpredictable hot and dry spells.
A smarter approach: supporting the soil from day one
TerraCottem is a soil conditioner developed to increase the survival rate and health of newly planted trees. It’s a granular product, applied once, at planting by mixing it with the backfill soil in the root zone.
What makes it effective?
- Growth precursors or biostimulants help young trees establish faster
- Water-absorbing polymers act as a long-term buffer against dry spells
- Slow-release nutrients support root growth over time
Simple, one-time application - fully compatible with standard planting methods.
Proof from the ground up
Results from independent field trials show the impact clearly:
- In Germany, treated Scots pines had a 93% survival rate, compared to 74% without
- In Spain, cork oaks treated with TerraCottem showed more than double the survival rate vs untreated trees (60% vs 26%)
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- In Belgium, a trial with four conifer species showed consistent biomass gains with TerraCottem: dry biomass increased between 17% and 41% at 6 g/L, and between 25% and 65% at 10 g/L — even under reduced irrigation and fertiliser conditions.
On-the-ground experience backs up the trial results:
Pavel Okénka, Engineer, FLORSTYL s.r.o., Czech Republic: "A project like this would need 10 irrigation rounds. With TerraCottem we reduced it to 6."
Recommended reading: "Green Arteries: Reviving Czech landscapes with bio-corridors"
Why experienced teams build it into every planting project
TerraCottem has become a standard part of the planting process for many in the landscaping industry.
Cora and Marcel Achterberg, GildenGroen, The Netherlands: "In fact, nowadays we don’t plant anything without TerraCottem. It’s standard in our quotations. We only give a guarantee if TerraCottem is used!"
Recommended reading: "Being outdoors is life: The life motto of Cora and Marcel of GildenGroen"
Emile Beel, B-Garden Bv, Belgium: "I often put TerraCottem soil conditioner in my tenders as standard. As a ‘certainty’, to be more confident that the bigger plants will do well."
Recommended reading: "Trees with character: The story behind the monumental Parrotia Persica"
Des Cloake, Senior Architect, RPS Landscape Architects, Australia: "I’ve seen TerraCottem perform virtual miracles on some sand-based soils. But here at West Village in Brisbane, TerraCottem was coupled with properly specified, produced and quality controlled growing media to produce the no-nonsense, high-performance result required from these plantings. High-performance results come with the right materials being specified and then produced and installed with strict quality controls."
Recommended reading: "The successful transformation of an old factory to a vibrant urban rooftop jungle in Brisbane"
Javier Gómez Garcimartín, Tree Officer, Seville City Council, Spain: "TerraCottem increases the water availability for the trees. It gives us a planting guarantee so that we minimise the need to replant trees."
Recommended reading: "More shade in front of Seville’s Archives of the Indies"
Easy to apply - and easy to share
Applying TerraCottem is straightforward - just mix with the backfill soil and plant as usual. We’ve also created a short guide and videos to walk you through it, step by step.
👉 See the guide "How to plant a tree with TerraCottem?"
A simple choice with lasting impact
True success in tree planting comes not from planting more - but from helping each tree establish and grow.
TerraCottem helps specifiers, contractors and councils improve project outcomes, reduce costs, and deliver better environmental results - with one simple addition at the time of planting.