How to plant trees in harsh terrain with fewer losses and less water
02/02/2020 - 00:00
Meet Petr Kaisler, the heart and hands behind LifeGarden, a Czech landscaping company rooted in Brno. His passion for greenery is instantly contagious - nurtured by decades of hands-on experience and a rich family legacy in horticulture that spans generations. We spoke with Petr as the official distributors of TerraCottem in the Czech Republic, to learn more about his recent work on the D1 motorway and his experience using soil conditioning technologies in demanding project.
| Interviewers: Martin Vodak and Susana Vodak |
Petr, tell us a bit about LifeGarden. How did it all begin?
Gardening’s been part of my life since I was 14. It runs in the family: my grandparents were gardeners, as are my uncle and aunt. You could say we’re a gardening dynasty! I first worked with Kaisler Ltd., but eventually my brother, cousin, and I went our separate ways. I've now been running LifeGarden for 10 years.
Do you ever think about branching out, maybe doing something else or expanding?
Honestly? No. I could, but I don’t want to. What we have works. We’re a small, close-knit team of five. We don’t even advertise, and yet we’re always busy. I love it this way.
What keeps you so passionate about the work?
Everything. I genuinely enjoy being a gardener. I get up every morning and look forward to the day. Not everyone is lucky enough to say that about their job. A lot of my friends envy me.
Recently, your team was involved in a project along the D1 motorway near Brno. How did that come about?
It was part of the motorway widening from four to six lanes, overseen by the Road and Motorway Directorate. The general contractor, MI Roads a.s., brought us in to handle the replacement planting. It was a big one.
And who handled the design?
That was done by Ing. Hawerlandová. She put together the planting plan.
What exactly did the planting entail?
We planted 301 trees across nine different species. The majority were Acer campestre - commonly known as field maples. The trees had a trunk circumference of 14 to 16 centimeters when planted.
Sounds like a major undertaking. Any challenges?
Plenty. The biggest issue was the terrain - steep slopes with no access for machinery. Everything had to be done by hand.
We were at the mercy of the weather too; sometimes we had to wait for the ground to freeze or dry out just to get on site.
And being close to traffic added to the danger. Highways are always tricky.
| March 2025 |
You also used TerraCottem in this project. Can you tell us more about that?
Yes, TerraCottem was part of the original design. We applied 300 grams per tree. It’s something we now use on almost all our projects.
What’s the advantage of using it?
Maintenance becomes much easier. Trees establish better, and we don’t need to water them as frequently.
"It gives us peace of mind, especially during the warranty period. We know the trees are likely to survive and thrive".
On one past job, we planted in almost pure gravel - and only one tree didn’t make it. That’s how effective TerraCottem is.
So, you'd use it even if it isn’t specified?
Definitely. We used to mix in hydrogel separately, but TerraCottem is better. It combines water retention, nutrients, and rooting support all in one.
| June 2025 |
How long will the watering go on for this project?
According to the plan, we’ll water eleven times in the first year, then once a year from years two to four. But we usually go above and beyond that. We’re very thorough with aftercare.
And how are your tree survival rates generally?
Very good. Because we care for our plantings properly - especially during dry summer months - we typically lose no more than 2 trees out of every 100.
Would you recommend TerraCottem to other professionals?
"I already recommend TerraCottem to other professionals!
But to be fair, most contractors and gardeners are already using it. It has become a standard tool in our toolbox."
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Would you like to be in the spotlight too?
You can!
Send a quick email to marketing@terracottem.be and we will schedule an online meeting together.