Fruit trees are an excellent addition to any yard. However, they require maintenance if they are to produce significant quantities of fruit. This article is intended to provide you with some helpful tips on how to plant a fruit tree and make it thrive with minimal effort on your part.
1. Choose the right location
Choose an area with good sunlight, but not too sunny. The site should be sheltered from the wind and protected from strong winds. Sandy soil is best for fruit trees. A loamy soil is fine, but an excessively fertile one is going to cause unnecessary root disturbance in a fruit tree’s early years and make it difficult for the tree to develop a strong root system.
2. Prepare the site
Digging or chiseling out some of the topsoil may be necessary if you have purchased a (fully mature) tree that has been planted in sod. Once you’ve prepared your area(s) for planting, rid it of weeds using herbicides if necessary. Remove all rocks and other debris. Planting a fruit tree requires time and energy, so it is best to start with a spot that has the least amount of work to do.
3. Soil preparation
You can plant fruit trees in just about any soil. However, it’s important for you to ensure that your soil is consistent with the area in which you plan to plant the tree. In addition, you should be aware of what varieties of fruits your area can support before doing anything else. This is especially true if there are no native fruit trees growing nearby or where citrus is not a common crop in your region.
4. Inoculate the tree
The process of inoculation is very important in terms of how quickly and well a fruit will take root. The best time to inoculate your trees is just after planting. For example, in areas with hot summers, it may make sense to lay the tree over for winter and then inject more nutrients into the soil at planting time.
5. Fertilize
Fertilizing is necessary immediately after planting a fruit tree, or before it grows roots deeper than its “three inch rule” into the ground. Depending on the variety of fruit you’re planting and the time of year you are making your planting, it may be worthwhile to fertilize your tree before planting by applying a liquid fertilizer. You can easily do this by filling a watering can with purified water and then dumping some in the tree’s vicinity.
6. Soak seeds
Warm weather helps germination to occur more easily because the soil is still warm at this time. Therefore, soaking seeds in water or placing them in moist soil will hasten germination. However, it’s important that you do not wait until right before planting to soak seeds as warmer temperatures can cause plants to dry out even faster than usual and the soil may not be quite ready for full germination.
It is best to take time to think about your situation. There are different kinds of trees that can be planted, some that grow in certain areas, and some with certain qualities. For example, some trees are not easy or are difficult to propagate for the first few years. When you plant a fruit tree, you want it to grow right away and grow strong without much effort on your part. This article will give you the necessary information to do just that.