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Your backyard orchard culture is so much different than the big
commercial orchards…
Most of the information you find about growing fruit trees is aimed at
big commercial operations and our backyard gardens are just not set up
for such growing practices.
To maximize the length of the fruiting season you can plant trees much
closer than what you previously have been taught, up to 4 trees per
planting hole!
Planting trees closer together, or high density planting, gives you
successive ripening opportunities and the ability to grow more fruit in
a smaller space than you ever thought possible!
Look for our handout for Backyard Orchard Culture.
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Two Important Rules for Bare-Root Success
For complete planting information for your new bare root trees refer to the information below. |
| General Bare-Root Planting Guide 1 Dig a hole. Make it deep enough and wide enough so the roots will fit without bending them. DON’T cut the roots to fit the hole, dig the hole to fit the roots. Plan on the hole being at least twice as wide as the root system with the top of the hole wider than the bottom, like a wide ‘V’. Use Plant Farm Organic Compost mixed in with your native Soil to create ideal growing conditions for the roots.  2 Build up a firm cone of soil mixture/Organic Compost in the center of the planting hole. This will help support the plant’s crown. Set the roots in the hole arranging them over and around the cone of soil. The planting depth should be the same depth as the tree was in the growing field. You can check the planting depth by laying a long stake or shovel handle across the planting hole and eyeballing the level of the plant’s crown. Adjust the height of the soil in the hole accordingly to reach the appropriate height. 3 Fill in around the roots with your soil mixture. Be careful not to pack the soil tightly around the roots as watering will help the soil settle in. 4 Create a nice shallow moat out of the excess dirt to help hold water. A 2” layer of mulch like Organic Compost should be used over the top of the soil to conserve water. 5 Water the planting site. If the plant settles too deeply, gently pull it up and down a bit to get the soil to re-settle itself underneath and bring your tree’s crown up to the appropriate planting height. 6 Water sparingly at first. In early spring, while the plant is still dormant, you will seldom need to water, if at all. When new growth begins to emerge in late spring, water the root zone only when the soil dries out. Do not overwater, as this will kill the young developing roots. Roots do need water, but they also need oxygen and too much water will squeeze all available oxygen from the soil causing the young roots to drown. Fertilize after planting when the trees begin to leaf out. Be patient. A bare-root plant may take many weeks and quite a few warm days to break their dormancy and begin to put out new foliage. |
| Remember: If you have questions about planting, please call us, we’ll be glad to answer all your questions and help you get the most from your plants! |
Apples
Cherries
Pears
Plums & Prunes
Peaches, Apricots
& Nectarines
Nuts
Plant Farm Favorite
Fruit Tree Picks