Fruit trees are one of the most appreciated, not only by those who are dedicated to the production of these, but also as a decoration or to have a small plantation with your own food (and thus not have to buy it. But, Do you know how to plant fruit trees?
When it comes to planting fruit trees, many doubts arise, can any type of fruit tree be planted in any type of land? Do you have to divide by zones? And how far do I have to put one from the other to make them productive? If you have a small plot, garden, etc. and you are considering putting some fruit trees, which not only bear fruit, but also shade, then this interests you.
How should a fruit tree be planted?
Planting fruit trees is not difficult. In fact, it is as simple as making a hole, putting the tree in and covering its roots with dirt. But to be successful, that alone is not enough. It is necessary to take into consideration several important aspects that are going to help your fruit to settle on the ground and not die.
Specifically, we recommend the following:
Plant suitable fruit trees
Yes, we know that if you go to a nursery, you will find many fruit trees. But not all of them adapt the same to certain temperatures, climate, etc. In addition, the area where you will place it also influences. Therefore, you must take into account Choose a fruit that really suits the type of climate where you are going to have it.
As far as possible, forget about exotic fruit trees; They are more difficult to care for and, if you are a beginner, it can give you a lot of headaches. The ones that work best are Citrus (lemon and orange trees), apple and pear trees, cherry trees ...
Of course, each one has an exact period to plant, so you should also consider it. To give you an idea, in January and February is the time to plant cherry, apple, plum, pear ... But in the case of citrus, or a peach tree, you have to wait until March or April.
Keep in mind where you are going to plant it
Fruit trees they need sun. To be able to be a lot. That is why you have to choose a sunny area and where the tree can grow without problems with it. Remember that they grow, and that implies that you have to calculate how big it will be in the future so that it does not get in the way later (because transplanting it, although it is possible, is very stressful for fruit trees).
Do not place it too close to other structures (a house, a swimming pool ...) because the roots are going to spread, as well as its branches, and if it is near an installation like this it could affect its foundations and cause damage.
Now that you have those two key points in mind, it's time to move on to planting fruit trees. However, you should know that they can not only be planted in a garden; You could also consider putting it in pots. This option is used when the tree is still small, or you do not want it to grow much. And each method has its needs. We tell you.
in pots
If you are going to plant fruit trees in pots, we recommend that, so as not to have to transplant it every so often because the pot is too small, choose a medium size. In this way, you will ensure that it will last 2-3 years minimum and the fruit will settle more easily (especially since when they are stressed they often stop bearing fruit for a year or more).
The steps you must follow are the following:
- Choose a suitable size pot for your fruit tree.
- Choose a suitable land for that fruit tree. The land that citrus fruits require is not the same as an apple tree. Also, even if you don't know it, that influences the quality of the fruits, their flavor, etc. so it is better to invest a little more money in this for better results. Both the tree and your palate will thank you.
- When planting, fill the pot about half full with soil. Don't cake it too much, just pat it a few hands to make it "fluffy." This ensures that the water will filter well and that the roots do not rot.
- Once you have soil in the pot, put the fruit tree. Here you have two options: if the fruit tree has a root ball with soil, you can open it and little and plant it as is; but you could also clean all the old soil that it has so that there is no trace left and thus take the nutrients from the other new soil.
- Cover the tree with the soil in such a way that it remains firm, that it does not dance. Yes, you will have to use a little force to fix it well, so do not skimp on dirt to make it perfect.
- Water with water, I advise you not to too much, because the tree can be stressed and at that moment it will not take much. But it is good to see if it may need more land (with water the land may go down and you will have to fill in a little more).
- Lastly, place your planted fruit tree in a semi-shady spot. For 2-3 days it must be there before putting it directly in the sun because it has to adapt.
In the garden
Si vas a plant fruit trees in your garden, the steps that you must take are very similar to those of a flowerpot, but they have certain peculiarities that you must take into account. Do you want to know what they are?
- Enable a large hole. To give you an idea, that hole has to be twice as wide as the extended roots that the tree has. If it is small (the kind you buy in supermarkets or with limited offers) you will see that they do not need much; but if you buy them in nurseries some may need a lot of width.
- In general, a hole would be perfect if it were 60cm x 60cm. With a depth of 60-70cm it is more than enough.
- Add some substrate to the base. Many also take the opportunity to put compost and other organic nutrients, but here it will depend on whether the soil is rich in the nutrients that the tree needs or not. Or if you want to enhance your production or that it runs its course.
- Put the fruit tree. Now it is time to place the fruit tree. Make sure to center it well so that all the roots have the same space (or almost) and can be well placed. Now you have to throw dirt to bury the roots. To do this, compact the soil with your hands and feet to avoid air pockets (all that will do is eventually lack soil and / or pests attack you).
- Water. The last step is to water, but as we told you before, try not to overdo it. It is better to water more often a few days to see how the soil settles and add more if it is necessary to spend with the watering and that the roots rot.
One tip is that, if you have animals, protect your tree for a few weeks until they get used to it being there (especially if your pets tend to "attack" trees). And if you see that it wobbles, it is not a bad idea to put a tutor to help it stay upright until it is fixed to the ground.
What distance should there be between fruit trees?
One of the doubts you will have when planting fruit trees, especially if there are more than one, is whether you have to keep some distance between them. And the truth is that yes.
Experts recommend that, if you are going to plant fruit trees in an orchard, you respect a spacing between trees of at least three meters (all around you). This ensures that the roots have enough space to grow without hindering other trees or plants.
When to plant fruit trees?
Do you think that fruit trees can be planted at any time of the year? Well, the truth is that no. In general, we must wait for the fruit trees to enter a kind of "hibernation", that is, for the sap to slow down in the tree, making it "asleep", to plant them and they adapt well to their new Location.
La planting of fruit trees is carried out in the autumn and winter months, although there are some that it is almost in spring when they are planted. To give you an idea:
- Apple, pear, plum: January-February.
- Lemon tree, orange tree: March.
- Peach, nectarine ...: March
- Cherry, pomegranate: January-February.