Whether you just purchased a new bare root fruit tree or are thinking of it in the near future, please read carefully, this guide will help you grow a healthy fruit tree that will produce fruit in 3 to 4 years.
The first two years you should take the stress off the fruit tree by taking any fruit that develops off. This in turn will develop a stronger tree and larger fruit.
As soon as you get your fruit tree home, place it in a pail of water to rehydrate it for about 2 hours, especially if it’s hot. If need be you can leave it overnight but not longer as it needs to be planted. Plant in the cool of the morning or late evening when the sun has gone down.
Plant your tree in full sun or a location with no less than 6 hours of sunlight, you need sunlight to ripen your fruit. Well drained soil is a must otherwise you could drown your fruit tree. If you have clay add small pebbles to the soil and some compost, but not too much, a couple shovelfuls should do. Do not dig your hole for the fruit tree too deep, it needs to be more wide than deep (3ft x 2ft) approx. depending on your root system, they all vary. Keep graft above ground facing northeast. Fill your fruit tree hole with water and make sure it drains, if it doesn’t drain after several hours you probably have clay, which you will need to amend. Before you place the fruit tree in the hole, add a handful of bone meal in the bottom of your planting hole and scratch into your dirt so its not touching roots.
After planting your fruit tree mulch around the top of the planting hole, make sure the mulch doesn’t touch the trunk of your fruit tree. The mulch will help hold moisture in and keep weeds down.
Protect the trunk of your fruit tree with a tree wrap to protect it from winter sunscald, since it doesn’t have leaves to protect it yet.
To help conserve water use a tree water bag if possible.
When you first plant your fruit tree you may use a transplant food 5-15-5 w/ kelp. We also recommend Fruit & Berry food 7-21-18 which has trace elements that will benefit your fruit tree. Apply around the drip line of the tree, 4 to 6 weeks after planting your fruit tree.
Water your fruit tree deeply, no less than twice a week. Never water with a lawn sprinkler as it doesn’t water deep enough, and you run the risk of you sunburn on the fruit tree. It gets all its moisture from roots only. Water regularly for the full season until November, when it goes dormant. At this time give it a deep watering and then leave it for winter, the snow will give it the moisture for the winter. As soon as it warms up, usually in late March, start watering your fruit tree, remember not to water the foliage of the tree. The rain will rinse off any dust or debris on the tree.
For spraying your fruit trees, come in and see our pesticide staff to help you, they are very knowledgeable, and any fertiliser you need for your first year should be a water-soluble fertiliser. Make sure it’s for fruit trees because you will be eating the fruit. The second year will be a granular fertiliser.
Area between fruit trees should be 15 feet in diameter. Depending if your fruit tree is self-pollinating or you need a pollinator, for example most apples need a pollinator.
By following these steps and combining them with proper ongoing care, you will be setting your new fruit tree up for a successful maturation period and long, healthy life. In no time you will have bountiful harvests of fresh fruit for years to come, right from home. Enjoy!