Fruit trees have their fixed planting dates, although these can vary depending on the goods offered. For this it is important to understand the growth processes of the trees. There are a few exceptions that, due to their peculiarities, prefer different planting times.
Fruit trees can be planted in autumn, but often also in the rest of the year
autumn planting
The autumn months are the ideal planting period for all fruit trees. They provide optimal conditions for fruit trees to take root well before the onset of winter. The soil has residual moisture and has been sufficiently warmed up by late summer. These factors favor the development of fibrous roots, with which the plants anchor themselves in the substrate and take up nutrients and water. The planting season extends from October to mid-December. Make sure that there is no ground frost in the weeks after planting.
Notes on location:
- Fruit trees need a pH between 6.0 and 6.5
- upgrade sandy soils with humus
- Loosen clay soil deeply with a digging fork
- only mix well rotted compost with excavation
Bare root goods
Such shrubs are sold to the customer without a substrate by the root ball. They are cheaper than ball and container trees. However, planting requires a little more attention because you first have to place the trees in a water bath. Since there is no protective soil, the trees dry out quickly. Goods marked "WN" are offered between October and spring when they are not in foliage. This reduces the risk of dehydration.
bale goods
Fruit trees cut out directly in the open are offered by tree nurseries together with soil balls. Wrapping it in jute or wire mesh prevents the root ball from falling apart. Although you can buy these specimens year-round, fall planting is recommended. Compared to bare-rooted plants, the failure rate after planting is low because the risk of drying out is reduced. The prices are a bit higher for that.
Year-round planting
Young trees are available in pots all year round in hardware stores. If they were grown in the container, this results in spiral root development. This causes the root ball to become matted more easily, which makes it difficult to grow in the garden soil. Nevertheless, the success with rooting is greater than with uprooted trees.
When buying, make sure that the pot has enough soil. If the planter is completely rooted, the shrubs have not been regularly repotted into larger containers, which will negatively affect their development. Container goods can be planted at any time of the year in frost-free, damp and mild weather, with autumn being ideal.
spring planting
For bare-rooted and ball-packed goods, in addition to planting in autumn, spring can be considered as a planting time, whereby planting should be completed by mid-May. It is important that the plants are in hibernation and the buds are not yet swelling. Exceptions are heat-loving varieties such as peach, apricot and nectarine. Irrespective of their root packaging, these are only planted in spring even when they are bare-rooted.