Autumn is, along with spring, the ideal season to plant a few new beauties or useful plants in the garden. So anyone who has planned one or two fruit trees can now put this plan into action. What should you consider if you want to plant fruit trees and how exactly do you go about it? We have summarized the most important information for you and explain how to proceed with planting.
When to plant fruit trees – which season is better?
We have already mentioned when you should plant fruit trees. Both spring and autumn are ideal for your...Garden with a new fruit treeto equip. Nevertheless, autumn is the better time - why?
The simple reason is that the trees lose their leaves in autumn or have already lost them. So you no longer put your strength into the formation of the leaves and flowers, but into the roots. This allows the plant to root more quickly and get used to its new location.
Which varieties are best suited?
First, plan which trees you would like to plant. This not only depends on what kind of fruit you like to eat, but also on how much space you have available. After all, every tree grows to a different height and, above all, width. Accordingly, when planting fruit trees, you also have to choose the spacing.
If you want small fruit trees for the garden, you can in principle choose all the usual fruit tree varieties, because it is possible to grow them with small crowns with the right pruning. Another variant for mini fruit trees is growing them in a bucketor espalier fruit.
You could plant the following fruit trees in the fall, among others:
- apple tree
- apricot
- Pear
- Feige
- Cherry tree
- Nectarines
- Plums
- Exit
- Sour cherry
Remember that a small fruit tree doesn't get too old. These usually take 15 to 25 years to bear fruit. The advantage of the bred small trees is that they bear the first fruit after just two years, so you will quickly be rewarded for your effort and care.
Planting fruit trees – what should you consider when planting?
Before you start planting with enthusiasm, here are a few helpful tips that you should consider beforehand. Not only should the soil be well prepared, the transplanting itself should also be done correctly. This is to be noted:
Prepare the soil
- Instead of digging the planting hole at the time of planting, prepare it in advance! One or two weeks beforehand, mix the removed soil with compost and horn shavings (perfect long-term fertilizer from which the tree will continue to benefit in spring) to enrich it with nutrients and provide the new tree with everything it needs straight away. This will allow the soil to mix well with the fertilizer before you plant the fruit trees. Pour some of the mixture into the hole before inserting the tree and then fill it up.
Choose the right depth
- Regardless of the type of fruit, you can use the root ball as a guide. Only this one goes underground. If it gets a little too deep, that doesn't necessarily have to be fatal. When planting fruit trees, be sure not to bury the area on the trunk where the tree was grafted.
- There is a simple reason for this: grafting means that you actually have two trees. While the lower part with the root ball is a weakly growing tree, the upper part is the actual fruit tree that is supplied by the lower one. The root ball should be weakly growing so that your fruit tree ultimately does not grow too tall and can still be harvested comfortably even after years. If there is soil above the graft, the actual fruit tree will form its own roots and the desired effect of a low-growing tree will be lost.
Water and mulch
- After you have filled the planted hole, tamp down the soil well. You should then water the tree abundantly.
- We recommend one more at the endLay out a layer of mulch. This not only keeps the soil moist, but also prevents weeds from growing. This would rob the tree of important nutrients.
Protect the new location
- In general, most types of fruit (especially the local ones) are very robust and insensitive to our climatic conditions. Nevertheless, you should initially protect it from wind and weather. More specifically, you should himbuild a support, otherwise strong winds could bend it or at least severely damage it. The support should remain on the tree for the first two years, only replacing the twine or wire as the trunk thickens and space becomes more limited.
- If wild animals have access to your property, it is also advisable to install a so-called feeding protection.
