When you have decided on which kind of fruit tree you like, and where you would like to plant it, you can finally get started. If you purchase your tree from a nursery, be very careful when you are transporting it from the nursery to your house.
You may also need to make sure your ground is level where you plan to plant your tree. If you choose a quality spot, but the ground isn't level or it's lacking good soil, you may consider having a landscaping service come in to dump dirt or help sculpt an area to your needs.
When you have gotten your tree safely back to your yard, look at the bottom of it and see how big the clump of roots is. It might seem like a lot of work initially, but you should dig a hole that is twice as large as the clump, and just a bit less deep. Making the hole slightly bigger than the clump of roots allows there to be room for the soil that you dug out to be put back in. Otherwise you would be stuck with a giant heap of unwanted dirt, and nowhere to put it. After you have the hole dug, place compost of fertilizer in it as a liner so that the tree will grow better. After you have done this you should set your fruit tree into the hole, and spread the roots out evenly so that the tree will be strong and stable.
When all of this business is done, take the soil that you dug up and fill in the hole completely. Unless you want big piles of dirt everywhere, you should be sure you use all of the dirt even is it is a couple inches higher than the rest of your yard. This is because it will compress when watered. Before you firm up the soil, make sure that the tree is completely vertical and will not fall over. After you have checked that the tree is perfectly vertical you can gently firm up the soil.
If your tree's trunk is not completely sturdy yet and may be able to be bent, you will need to tie the tree to a stake with some rope. Don't tie the rope too tightly to the tree, because you need to allow room for the trunk to grow.
Once the tree is sturdy enough to withstand all types of weather, you can take the stakes off of it. When all of this is done you should mulch around the base of the tree. If you reside in an area where wildlife can access your yard, then you might want to put a fence around your tree, because the bark on young trees is appetizing to some animals. Once you have successfully planted your fruit tree it should begin to bear fruit when it is 3 to 5 years old. When your tree starts to provide a lot of fruit you should periodically pick some of the fruit so the branches are not weighed down too much. If the fruit gets too thick, the branches can break off. Some years your tree may not bear as much fruit as others, but this shouldn't worry you. Healthy trees often take years on vacation where they produce little or no fruit.
After you've planted your tree you might start to have some problems with pests. To assist in keeping these pests away, you should always rake away old leaves, brush, or other decaying matter that could be housing bugs that are harmful to your tree.
To make sure that your trees always stay healthy in the future, make sure to prune it during Winter or Spring. Water your tree every two weeks during dry times, or utilize sprinkler systems in prime areas. Be sure not to hit your tree with a lawn mower or a weed eater because it could severely damage the growth process. You also want to make sure that your fruit tree gets plenty of water and plenty of sun, and it's growth should be great.
No comments:
Post a Comment