Kids in the Garden, Ep 12: Trees: a vital part of our lives

NICK HARDCASTLE:

Oh! (Whimpers) (Roars) (Sighs) Trees are amazing. They're so important to our whole lives. We depend on them for so many things. This grey alder might be enormous, but it's just a baby really. It's like a high-rise home for many insects, birds and wildlife. When the autumn leaves fall, it feeds the soil and creatures living on the ground. A tree is not just a plant - it's a whole ecosystem and a vital part of our lives. This blue gum tree is an evergreen. It never loses all its leaves at the same time. Oak trees are deciduous. That means they lose all leaves in autumn. It's a beautiful season as leaves turn from green to all kinds of bright colours. Conifers have cones and are a very ancient kind of tree. Their leaves have become long needles. Fresh home-grown fruit is delicious. Apple trees like cool climates, as do stone fruit like peaches. Many fruit trees, like bananas and mangoes, will only grow in the hot tropics. Date palms come from very hot and dry climates and are one of the oldest of all fruit trees. We've grown them for over 6,000 years. But there's a bit of a fashion statement for trees. There are all kinds of textures and patterns developed to suit the conditions that the tree's evolved in. We have sensitive skin, and wear clothes to protect us. Trees have bark to protect the delicate layer of growing tissue just below the surface. Planting a tree in your garden is easy. Most important thing's picking the right tree, finding out about it and looking ahead and seeing how big it'll grow. This is an alder tree. Like the grey alder we saw, it'll get really tall and wide. I picked a spot with lots of space and it won't cause and problems. I've already dug the hole, filled it with water and drained it. The hole's twice as wide as the roots, and it's a little deeper than the pot. Throw in some compost. Now we can throw in our tree. Tease out those roots. Free them up. And place it in. Then just fill that back up with the soil you've taken out. Give it a little water. Easy treesy. The bloated bottle tree grows in very dry places. Its swollen trunk is a way of storing water. The sausage tree has strange, drooping fruit that look like... sausages. They should grow near a barbecue. The bright, red sap of the dragon blood tree was used by Canary Islanders to scare off evil spirits. The giant redwood trees that grow in America are the largest living things on Earth! The world's tallest tree ever was an Australian mountain ash. Oh, you cute little baby tree. Yes, you are. Actually, it's not a baby tree. It's a mature tree. But it's been dwarfed through the ancient art of bonsai, which literally means 'potted tree'. I've got Dariel and Ella with me today. You've got some favourites.

DARIEL:

Yes. I like this because it's 30 years old.

NICK HARDCASTLE:

Get out! That's twice as old as me, and it's so tiny. And you?

ELLA:

Look at this one. It's tiny. I can't believe a tree can grow in such a tiny pot.

NICK HARDCASTLE:

It's crazy but true! In fact, you can grow a tree in any sized container, and we're about to find out how. Come on. Start with a shallow pot, making sure it has holes for drainage. Place a sheet of mesh over the holes. Create a layer of gravel. This also helps with drainage. Then add a good-quality potting mix. Take your tree and check the roots. Snip the thicker-looking roots off. The best ones are the fine fibrey ones. Place your tree in the pot. Pat it down firmly. A bit of moss also looks great - or you can use other decorations, such as stones and shells. Konichiwa, bonsai. Look after your bonsai. Treat it like you would any tree. It needs lots of sunlight, water. Don't let it dry out. In fact, it will grow better outside. You'll have to re-pot your bonsai every year. Pay special attention to the roots. If they're long and thick, snip them. You can also prune back branches, but keep the healthy ones. Let's come back in 30 years and see if this looks anything like this guy. I'm not busy that day. Why not?