We make sure your success begins with a quality tree and careful planting.
Determining Appropriate Trees per Acre
The Best Time to Plant
1. Bareroot
Preparing the Site
2. Potted
Transporting & Caring for Trees (Before Planting)
Bareroot
Potted
Digging the Hole
Planting
Broken or damaged roots should be trimmed off. No additional pruning is recommended. Do not prune the roots to fit the hole; instead, dig the hole to fit the roots. Remember that the roots are important because they feed and support the rest of the tree. Always remove the tree label, it can girdle the tree. Backfill the hole with the most friable soil available, and avoid large clods. It’s essential not to use soil that may have been treated with a herbicide when backfilling around the roots. Be sure the bud union is well above the ground level and pointed southeast. It is also a good rule to plant the tree no deeper than it was grown in the nursery. We do not recommend the use of fertilizer or manure in the hole at planting time. Where prevailing winds are a problem, plant trees leaning slightly into the wind.
Tanking in the Roots
Protecting Young Trees
Pruning
The most important cultural practice fruit growers can perform is the art of proper training and pruning of trees. Training and pruning are necessary for healthy, productive trees. A tree’s first heading cut will determine the height of the limbs and the trunk. Most growers head their trees at 28 to 36 inches. Inspect each tree to determine if there are live buds in the area below the heading cut. Sometimes there are no buds in this area, especially on yearling trees; these buds may have already grown into branches. If the latter is true, leave two or three of these branches with two or more buds on them when pruning. We do not recommend cutting limbs flush if you intend on using that position for a future limb.