A delayed start due to overnight frost but then the sun came out, the ground thawed, volunteers gathered equipped with spades, arm-power and goodwill – and within an hour our mammoth sapling planting project was finished! Around 350 native trees now form part of the hedgerow bordering the northern expanse of Ladywell Fields, following the last of three recent sessions, helped this time by GoodGymers Khai and Linda.

The saplings – just bare slender whips at the moment – will soon start to bud when the growing season gets under way, making this popular green space even more attractive for both people and wildlife, as well as increasing leafy carbon absorption to help mitigate climate change.

Proving that young and old alike can gain a feel-good buzz from caring for the environment, another big team of volunteers got together to plant hedgerow saplings in Ladywell Fields today. Special moments for me included guiding an enthusiastic four year old as he planted his first tree and welcoming a grandad visiting from New Zealand who was curious enough to want to help out. With around 300 new native saplings now in the ground – adding more than 70 metres of wildlife-friendly carbon-absorbing hedgerow in this popular green space – we’re all looking forward to spotting the first buds appearing on their stems when the growing season starts.

Every tree counts when helping to solve the climate and biodiversity crises… and now there are around 100 more growing in Ladywell Fields after today’s hedge planting session. A team of GoodGymers joined local families and volunteers from the User Group to create a new 70 metre row of native saplings bordering the children’s play area, making this popular green space even more attractive for both people and wildlife, as well as increasing leafy carbon absorption to help mitigate global heating.

We learned that for trees and other plants to grow successfully, particularly when first planted, their roots need to be in contact with damp aeriated soil. So these steps are important:

• digging a hole deep and wide enough to give all roots space to spread downwards and sideways

• avoiding an air pocket beneath the roots – the hole needs to be deep enough but not too deep because roots surrounded by air will dry out and die

• filling in with crumbly soil then, even if already damp, washing the area with water to settle soil around the roots (if there’s rain due straight after planting then even better!)

• finishing with a generous layer of mulch – we used wood chippings – to hold warmth and moisture in the ground for optimum root growth.

By the end of tomorrow’s Ladywell Fields session, volunteers will have planted around 350 saplings bought using a grant from the Tree Council. Wonderful work everyone!

Lovely to join a volunteer team to water saplings in Ladywell Fields tonight, and I even got to wear my sailing boots to wade in the River Ravensbourne – the easiest way to fill our buckets! We gave a good dousing to all the Black Poplar trees under three years old as these are a water-loving species in need of care to ensure they grow strong, contributing to riverbank biodiversity and boosting carbon capture.

What nicer way could there be to cool off at the end of a scorching day than messing around on a shady riverbank filling buckets to water thirsty young saplings? Four GoodGymers joined volunteers from the Ladywell Fields User Group (LFUG) for a fun session tackling this important environmental task, at the same time soaking up a few educational facts about native tree species, thanks to the expertise of LFUG leader Caroline.

Julian aced at creating ways to chain-gang buckets from varied spots along the shores of the River Ravensbourne, Linda happily got wet feet wading to find the best pools for speedy filling, Khai demonstrated expertise in bank scrambling and water slinging, and Marta impressed everyone by having enough energy to help carry heavy loads after her 13.5 km training run! A total of 17 saplings under three years old had adequate dousings to ensure they can continue thriving during the current dry spell… we learned that apple trees prefer lighter watering as their roots suffer if waterlogged whereas black poplars enjoy any amount of soaking, being a species suited to riverside wetness.

And… whenever you’re watering… best to tip the water in a doughnut shaped ring around the tree, rather than at the base of its trunk. This is because the roots that promote strong growth are the ones spreading outwards, typically over a diameter up to one-and-a-half times the size of the tree’s leafy canopy (which will vary with species and age).

This was a first ever task for GoodGym joining the watering team in Ladywell Fields and we will be back – probably next month – to continue tending the trees, contributing to carbon capture and biodiversity restoration.