Boost Tree Survival and Reduce Watering with One Planting Step
01/01/2020 - 00:00
Whether you’re planting trees in urban spaces, parks, or large-scale landscapes, the first two years after planting are critical. 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 first critical two years: 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, Bahamas: "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: "From Bare Sand to Lush Paradise: A Garden Success Story"
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 Trees and Green Spaces for the City: The Isla Natura Project in Palmas Altas, Seville, Spain"
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.