Planting Fruit Trees

 

Properly preparing the soil before planting fruit trees will greatly improve their performance and promote healthy, vigorous growth. It’s important to amend the prepared soil to ensure that the newly planted trees have the necessary minerals & nutrients.

Simply put, the purpose of soil preparation is to replenish vital minerals and nutrients, as well as break up and loosen any compacted soil.

When to Prepare Your Soil

It’s best to prepare the soil when the ground isn’t too wet or frozen. Fruit trees can be planted in the cool temperatures of Fall & winter, but if a hard frost is expected, it ‘s best to wait until temperatures  become more moderate. Basically, as long as your soil is workable (not frozen), it is fine to plant.

How to Prepare Your Soil

• Roots grow faster when they’re spread out. Dig the hole deep and wide enough so the root system has plenty of room to easily expand. Keep the topsoil in a separate pile so you can put it in the bottom of the hole, where it’ll do the most good.

• To loosen the soil, mix dehydrated cow manure, garden compost or peat moss (up to 1/3 concentration) into your pile of topsoil. Make sure the peat moss you get is either baled sphagnum or granular peat. You can also add our Coco-Fiber Potting Medium or 2 or more inches of organic material and work in evenly with the existing soil.

Your lawn can provide you with ideal organic materials such as grass clippings and shredded leaves. Not only will the grass and leaves break down to provide soil nutrients, but they will help loosen the soil as well. You can gather these in the fall with spring planting in mind.

Common soil amendments:

• compost
• sand
• manure
• lime
• peat moss
• sawdust

Adding organic materials, such as Coco-Fiber Potting Medium and compost will improve most every soil type. Organic materials bind sandy soil particles so they retain moisture and nutrients better. They also break apart clay and silt particles, so that water can infiltrate and roots can spread.

 Clay Soil

• Clay and silt soils are made of very small particles. They feel slick and sticky when wet. Clay and silt hold moisture well, but resist water infiltration, especially when they are dry. Often puddles form on clay or silt soils, and they easily become compacted.

Microfarm specializes in planting and maintenance of all sizes of fruit trees, nut trees, and berry plants. Interested in growing your own fruit or nuts? Write or call today!