Organic Gardening Info from Peaceful Valley

Planting Location

Fruit trees are a long-term investment and caring for them properly, right from the start, will ensure years of enjoyment and productivity. Maintenance will be greatly minimized as the tree matures, if you provided adequate, early care. Before your trees arrive, you should carefully choose the planting location. Even an hour or two of extra shade a day can noticeably reduce growth and productivity.

Fruit trees should also be planted in a location where air circulation (wind or breezes) is not impeded by natural or man-made windbreaks. If the tree requires a pollinator for fruit production, it is necessary for that pollinator to be established or planted in the same area.

Choosing a location with good soil drainage is very important, as poorly drained soil will stunt and may even kill trees by suffocating their root systems or harboring anaerobic soil pathogens. To test for proper drainage, the planting hole should be filled twice with water and allowed to drain; 12– 14 hours is the maximum amount of time it should take for all of
the water to drain out.

A soil analysis is also recommended to determine any soil deficiencies, but this can be delayed until the tree has begun to establish itself. A gradual application of proper soil amendments will suffice if proper sunlight and drainage are available from the start. However, in the long-term, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium along with sufficient nitrogen will significantly enhance tree health and fruit quality.

Heeling In

When your nursery stock arrives, it is best to plant them right away. If you cannot plant immediately (within a week of delivery), remove plastic bags that cover and keep the roots moist during shipment, and store them in a cool moist place like a root cellar or basement, making sure the roots stay moist and do not freeze. Or, you can “heel in” the plants to protect them.

To heel in bare root plants outside, pick a location that is shielded from wind. Dig a trench with one side sloping and the other side vertically straight. Place the plants so that the roots are pointed toward the vertical side and the trunks /stems are supported by the sloping side. Cover the roots with soil and tamp it down to avoid air pockets. Heeling in should protect your plants until you are ready to plant. If you are unable to heel them in outside due to extremely cold temperatures, you can place the plants in a box with moist sawdust (do not, however, use cedar sawdust which is combustible) or dirt (by far the best and safest medium) covering the roots to hold them over. If using sawdust, be sure to carefully and regularly monitor the temperature to prevent “cooking” the roots if the sawdust starts to compost. The best preventative measure is to regularly water and aerate the pile without allowing the temperature to rise.

Planting

When you receive your trees, they will be boxed securely with their roots wrapped in plastic and their limbs trimmed back (not fully pruned) to fit the package. First, inspect the bag and make sure that the media around the roots is moist. In the event that the media requires additional moisture, use a clean spray bottle to moisten it evenly. If you are not ready to plant upon arrival, your trees must be kept cool (35°F to 45°F degrees is optimum, but never allow the tree’s roots to freeze), as warmth will stimulate untimely bud growth. It is essential that the young tree roots have plenty of time to become established before the tree begins its spring limb growth and bud break, so plant the tree while it is in deep dormancy.

The day before you plant, remove the bag and inspect the roots. Any roots that are not firm and plump should be trimmed back to healthy tissue, above any damage or withering. We also recommend soaking the roots overnight in a bucket of water, supporting the tree so that the roots are not bearing the weight. Proper planting begins with digging a hole that will house the tree roots. The tree’s root system will reach out from the trunk at a distance at least equal to the leafy canopy above and, to a depth of 4′ to 6′, so it is very important that the soil around the tree be worked and amended in as large an area as possible. Loamy, friable soil will require little or no improvement, but if your soil is heavy in either clay or sand, then it will be necessary to add organic matter. Clay drains poorly and sand does not retain moisture and nutrients. The addition of organic material (wellaged, high quality composts or green manures) will loosen clay soils to allow for improved drainage and will also create an efficient substrate to retain moisture and nutrients in overly sandy soil.

While recent studies indicate that over-fertilization can be detrimental, we recommend the addition of 15–20% organic matter to poor soils, as nothing is gained by planting in unamended clay or sand. The planting hole should be no larger than is required to comfortably house the roots, but the roots should never be trimmed to fit the planting hole. Provide a solid, compressed “soil cone” at the bottom of the hole that will support the root system and prevent it from being crushed and broken while backfilling the soil. Make sure that the sides of the hole have not been “glazed” while digging. If this has occurred, break through the “glaze,” roughing up the soil with a trowel or handheld cultivating fork.

If gophers are a problem in your area, a wire gopher basket should be placed in the hole with its bottom modified to accommodate the soil cone you have provided to support the root system. Gophers are less of a threat to mature trees, but this protection could mean the difference between life and death for a young bare-root specimen.

Two more factors must be considered before planting: wind and sun. If high winds will be a factor in your planting location, then the tree should be tilted slightly towards the wind’s prevailing direction. Do not overdo it, a slight tilt will suffice. To prevent sun damage to your new tree, orient the outward curve of the graft union toward the direction of the afternoon sun. The graft union’s inner surface is highly susceptible to sunburn. A trunk wrap or painting the trunk with white latex paint is recommended.

Place your tree on the soil cone at the bottom of the hole, orienting it towards the direction of the wind and sun. Backfill with the soil you dug from the hole, mixing it with any organic amendment or minerals you have determined to be necessary. Lightly compact the backfill with your hand, adjusting the tree gently so that the backfill covers the dark trunk color line that represents the bare-root’s original planting depth.

Water the tree thoroughly and watch for settling. If undue settling occurs, elevate the tree very slightly to raise its height and release any subsoil air pockets.

Ongoing Tree Care

Staking may be necessary but should be done carefully. A young tree that struggles a little against the wind, without being blown over, develops tissue in its trunk that will strengthen the tree as it matures. Tightly staked trees that do not develop this tissue are at greater risk of wind damage as they grow older. Staking should provide emergency assistance to a young tree, but should not interfere with its natural capacity to resist wind.

To properly stake your tree, drive two sturdy poles deeply into the ground on opposite sides of the tree from each other. The two poles and the tree should demarcate a straight line directly into the prevailing wind. Using a plastic tie or cord attached securely to each pole, create a loose harness that will allow the tree sufficient movement in the wind at least a few inches in all directions.

If rain is not timely, then occasional watering will be necessary. Over-watering can kill young trees. Moist, workable soil is sufficient; soggy soil is dangerous and often fatal. As the tree matures, you will want to water deeply but infrequently; commercial orchardists water for more than 12 hours at a time, but sometimes only two or three times during a season.

As your tree matures, pruning will become the most critical factor in its proper growth and development. The fundamental considerations and subtle nuances of this discipline are beyond the scope of this introduction to bare-root tree care. Please see our Main Catalog where we offer excellent books on fruit tree care.

Nitrogen fertilizers should be applied only after the first year, and preferably on the soil surface in a circular area that matches the overhead canopy growth. High quality composts are our recommendation as they are naturally balanced blends of nutrients and minerals. Natural kelp compounds are a great addition to fertilization regimes, whether added to irrigation water or used as a foliar between bud coloration and 1” fruit size. Avoid synthetic fertilizers as these can destroy many of the naturally occurring beneficial soil organisms that nurture healthy root systems. Synthetic fertilizers also tend to produce overly lush and unnatural top growth that attracts common insect pests and micro-pathogens.

Tips For Planting Finicky Trees

Pomegranates: Water pomegranates in well and make sure there is good soil to root contact. Water after planting but very moderately afterward. However, do not let the soil dry out completely, especially if you have sandy soil or experience a heat wave in early Spring.

Figs: They are similar to pomegranates in that they do not like the soil to be too wet when they are first planted. Sometimes the top of the tree will die back while the fig is trying to establish its root growth. Once this top portion has died, cut the tree back to where the live growth occurs. Figs like to focus on their root growth first and need warm soil for the roots to start growing.

Almonds: Almonds are subject to desiccation, especially the buds, and should be protected from the wind and drying out. Use white water-based latex paint and paint the tree to protect it from heat and sun damage.