Fruit trees have fixed planting dates, although these can vary depending on the goods on offer. It is important to understand the growth processes of trees. There are some exceptions that prefer different planting times due to their characteristics.
When is the best time to plant fruit trees?
The ideal planting time for fruit trees is in autumn, from October to mid-December, as the soil is sufficiently moist and warmed up. Bare-rooted trees and bales should be planted in autumn or spring, while container goods can be planted all year round in frost-free weather.
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 is sufficiently warmed from late summer. These factors promote the development of fibrous roots with which the plants anchor themselves in the substrate and absorb nutrients and water. The planting season extends from October to mid-December. Make sure that there is no ground frost in the next few weeks after planting.
Notes about the location:
- Fruit trees need a pH value between 6.0 and 6.5
- Improve sandy soils with humus
- Loosen up clay soils deeply with a digging fork (€139.00 on Amazon)
- only mix well-rotted compost with excavated material
Root bare goods
Such trees are sold to customers without substrate on the root ball. They are cheaper than bale and container trees. However, planting requires a little more attention because you first have to put 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 do not have leaves. This reduces the risk of dehydration.
Bale goods
Fruit trees cut out directly in the open field are offered by tree nurseries, complete with balls of soil. Jute or wire mesh packaging prevents the root ball from falling apart. Although you can buy these specimens all year round, autumn planting is recommended. Compared to bare-root plants, the failure rate after planting is low because the risk of drying out is reduced. The prices are slightly higher.
Year-round planting
In hardware stores, young trees are offered as potted products all year round. If they were grown in a container, this results in spiral root development. This makes the ball mat more easily, making it more difficult for it to grow in the garden soil. Nevertheless, the success of rooting is greater than that of plucked trees.
When purchasing, make sure that the pot has enough soil. If the planter is completely penetrated by roots, the trees have not been regularly repotted into larger containers, which has a negative impact on their development. Container goods can be planted at any time of the year in frost-free, moist and mild weather, with autumn being ideal.
Spring planting
For bare-root and bale-packed goods, in addition to planting in autumn, spring should be considered as a planting time, although planting should be completed by mid-May. It is important that the plants are in hibernation and the buds have not yet swelled. Exceptions are heat-loving varieties such as peach, apricot and nectarine. Regardless of their root packaging, these are only planted in spring, even when bare-rooted.
