Wednesday 14th January 2026 - Los Altos Park, Sandown GG #1063

 Terry's photos

Moving compost to the planting hole

The briefing

Preparing the base of the hole

Sprinkling in the water retaining granules

Checking the level of the root ball

Backfilling

Tamping down the soil

Applying the mycorrhizal funghi to the roots

Putting in the perforated watering pipe

and adjusting it.....

More backfilling

Is it straight?

The final backfill

Completed with stakes, tie and woodchip (this is the Sequoia)

We headed to the Bay area today – Los Altos Park in Sandown.  We last visited this site in March 2025.  We were working with Tony, the IWC Tree Officer, who maintains this lovely site, to plant seven standard trees.  This doesn’t seem like very many for 20 people to plant within 3 hours…….  However, the amount of work that went into the planting of each tree was considerable.  Terry’s excellent photos show the majority of the stages.

Firstly, the planting holes had to be dug to specific dimensions.  A few had been prepared for us; one had to be re-dug as the original had flooded and the remainder dug by the GG team.  The base of the holes was then covered with a mix of compost and soil and the level checked so that the tree would be at the correct depth in the hole.  Water retaining granules were scattered throughout the soil/compost mix.  The trees (in 45l bags) were manoeuvred into place and the bags removed.  A perforated watering pipe was placed around the root ball with 20cm vertical above ground level.  Mycorrhizal funghi was applied to the root ball and then the holes backfilled.  A fleece weed mat was put around the trunk of the tree.  Tony and colleague David then added a ‘doughnut’ of woodchip and carefully positioned three stakes around each tree and tied them in.  In due course, a protective wire fence will be erected around each tree. 

The trees planted were four oaks (two varieties), an alder, a liquidambar and a sequoia.  In the coming weeks we will be continuing with tree planting in the Bay area as this is one of the most tree depleted areas on the Island.

For further information about Los Altos Park see link - Sandown Parks & Open Spaces | Enjoy Nature, Trails & Play Areas

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RIP

Derek Comper

March 2010

September 2013 - our 500th GG and 10th anniversary

May 2023 during a visit whilst we were working at the Riverside Centre

Derek was one of our long-standing GG-ers and contributed a considerable amount of time and energy to the group over the years.  He was a popular member of Green Gym and will be fondly remembered.