Autumn is the best time to plant your tree, when the soil is still warm and it will have time to settle, to start out strong the next spring.
The right spot
Choosing a good spot for your tree is important. It will need a lot of sun, which is why we recommend placing it towards the south. Warm, sunny and ideally with some protection from icy winds (like a northern wall).
Planting it on a cliff or a dry spot, is not recommend as you want your tree to get enough water even on hot Summer days. This is also why you shouldn’t plant trees to close together.
Plan ahead and consider that you will need to water your tree a lot during Summer.
Make sure your soil is fertile or add compost if needed. More on that later in this post.
Fencing
Protect your fruit tree from animals (hare, deer & co.) by building a strong fence.
We recommend 3 m hight (for moose and deer) and a more dense net in the bottom, ideally digged in, to protect yourself agains rabbits.
If you just have only one tree you can also protect it directly with a small fence system.
The digging
Prepare a hole that is at least double as big as the roots of your tree (ca. 150l) .
While you are digging, make sure no bare roots of the tree are exposed to sunlight, to prevent them from drying out and dying.
Now fill the hole with ca. 100l of water. This will make it easier to cover all roots and to make sure the tree has enough water from the beginning.
Gently place your tree in the hole and cover with loose, nutricious soil. Make sure all roots are covered and the soil reaches all the way, to prevent air pockets. You can use your fingers for this to avoid harming the thin roots. Now step down the soil – again be mindful here not to step to close to the stem to avoid harming the roots.
Fertilizing
For the sake of maximum growth and yield, added fertilizer is a must.
Start with about 10kg compost and 2kg lime directly after planting. Spread it as a loose ring around the stem, avoiding direct contact with the tree trunk.
The leaves should have a lush green color. If they look pale or yellow, you can add more nutrition. We recommend e.g. composted horse manure and chalk (to absorb the nutrients).
For smaller trees, up to 150cm, we recommend 500g chalk and 5kg horse manure. For larger trees, use double amounts. Plums are an exception and should get 50% less chalk.
Repeat fertilizing regulary over the years.
Watering and weeding
Water sufficient depending on the weather conditions and keep the soil around the tree clear of weeds and parasites.
Planting and planning service
If you are insecure or don’t have the possibilty to plant or plan yourself, we are happy to help. We offer a planning and planting service for your orchard. Just write us an email: blekingefrukttradplantskola@gmail.com
Blekinge Fruktträd Plantskola 