How To Plant Fruit Trees & Nut Trees

Unpacking / Pre-Planting Care

If bare root, upon receipt of your tree unpack the roots from its polythene and mulch packing; if they are dry stand in a bucket of water for no more than half an hour.

If the tree is pot grown simply remove the covering polythene bag and ensure the compost is moist.

What If The Ground Is Frozen Solid & I Can't Plant?

Ideally your tree should be planted out as soon as possible; if this is not possible either ‘heel’ into a shallow trench or alternatively wrap the roots back up in the bark chip and polythene they were originally packed in and store in a cool frost free place - do not keep in a warm place as premature growth will occur. Check that the roots are kept moist every few days and plant out as soon as practical.

Often leaves will be found to be ‘hanging on’ - to later fall and leave naked branches; this need cause no alarm as leaves of all deciduous stock naturally fall in Autumn.

Prior to dispatch all field grown (bare root) trees are root pruned to encourage fibrous root growth so there should be no need for you to further prune the roots. Similarly we head back the trees (potted and bare root) so, unless you are training in a specific style such as espalier or similar, there is no need to do any pruning at planting time.

Container Growing

All stock, with the exception of the Walnut, is suitable for growing in patio tubs or containers as well as planting outside in the open ground.

If planting in a patio tub or container try to use one of at least 18" (45 cm) diameter. Small containers, with a tree loaded with foliage and fruit, could become top heavy in high winds such as we have experienced in the U.K. over the last few years. The ideal container, if for a patio, is either one made of concrete or a half-cut wooden barrel or tub. We have yet to find a plastic container that does not crack or break down after 7 or 8 years!

If your garden soil is not unduly heavy, this will be fine for filling the container and planting into; in the alternative we would suggest using a John Innes No2 or No3.

A little brick mortar rubble or course gravel in the bottom of the container, to cover the drainage holes and to stop the soil falling through is recommended.

At planting time do not introduce any stimulants, fertiliser or bonemeal. This can prove positively injurious and harmful.

Planting Out

As with many things in life, remember that a little extra care and time taken with planting your tree will pay dividends for many years to come!

Dig a hole approximately double the width and double the depth of the size of the tree’s roots, rootball, or container it was grown in. Now fork over the sides and bottom of the hole to loosen up the surrounding soil before refilling to bring the soil level up to the correct planting depth for your tree; you can either refill with the soil you originally dug out or ideally with a mixture of this soil and 25% organic matter such as well rotted manure (not fresh) or compost to give your tree the best start.

Place the tree in the hole, ensuring its final planting depth is the same or only slightly deeper than it had been previously grown at (indicated by the soil or compost mark on the stem). Now refill, either with the previously removed garden soil or your soil / compost mixture. Firm in well and water well - even if the soil appears wet.

Under no circumstances should you use any stimulants, fertiliser or bonemeal at planting time as such products will ‘burn’ any new root growth and actually slow your tree’s development!

Whilst not always necessary we do advocate the use of a stake and tie and planting time.

Aftercare

In the first growing season after planting it is vital to ensure your tree is adequately watered - and this is even more critical in extended dry periods or drought. When watering any newly planted stock a ‘heavy soaking’ once a week is favourable to a ‘light shower’ every day, and will encourage a good deep root system.

Always keep the area around the base of your tree free of weeds and grass which would otherwise compete for both moisture and nutrients.

To further aid moisture retention it is a good idea to mulch around your newly planted tree with chipped bark, well rotted manure or similar; this will also help with suppressing weed growth.

During the active growing season an occasional feed with our ‘Instant Life’ or a light top dress with a base fertiliser will prove beneficial. Under no circumstances be tempted to overfeed though! With a few exceptions fruit trees prefer a limey soil and to this end an annual liming of the surrounding soil at a rate of 4 ounces per square yard (100 grams per square metre) will prove of benefit.

Pruning & Training

Many many books have been written on fruit tree pruning and training – a subject we cannot detail in these simple guidance notes; to this end, for guidance on training and pruning we would recommend Grow Fruit available from ourselves.

Some Additional Notes On Specific Varieties...

Nectarines & Peaches

Just as the growth buds begin to swell, i.e. in February or March, every year spray your tree with Bordeaux mixture or a copper fungicide to prevent leaf curl (though both 'Darling' and 'Red Haven'). Leaf curl is a water borne fungus disease known as Exoascus deformans, and the symptoms of red blistered and swollen leaves will occur if you do not undertake this simple professional plantsman’s tip (all trees despatched March onwards will have been treated by us). If it does re-occur it is essential to spray at 14 day intervals (or as the fungicide instructions direct) until it disappears! It is good practice to spray in Autumn at leaf fall, before the onset of Winter. Spraying will not be necessary if growing under protection.

Flowering and subsequent fruiting occurs on second year wood - so avoid excessive pruning from mid-Summer until flower break; in fact pruning mid-Summer after fruit has set is possibly the most easy and practical time.

Figs

A well drained sunny position is essential for figs. Choose a site in full sun - can also be grown in a conservatory.

Figs are best grown with their roots restricted, either in a large container, a root control bag or by making a root restriction pit; this will ensure that the tree does not produce an abundance of leafy growth at the expense of heavy crops of fruit.

To make a root restriction pit simply dig a hole 3 x 3 x 3 feet (90 x 90 x 90 cm) line the sides with paving slabs / tanalised timber or similar and the base with a generous layer of hardcore or brick rubble (but ensure good drainage) to discourage root growing through. Then re-fill with soil before planting in the normal way.

Hard pruning should be discouraged as fruits are produced on short jointed growths made in the previous year.

Mulberries

Little pruning is required, these are very easy and all you need to do is trim to shape as you desire. Mulberries tend to suffer a little die back over the Winter months which should be trimmed off if no leaves appear by early Summer.

Mulberries can be very late into growth in the Spring and this should not cause concern; known as the 'wise tree' Mulberries do not break into growth until after the last frost - and certainly our fifty year old Mulberry here on the nursery has never got it wrong. Similarly the first Autumn frost will almost always cause 'instant' and total leaf fall.

Sweet Chestnuts

Chestnuts are happiest allowed to grow to full height; but don't let that put you off as ‘Marron de Lyon’ takes around fifty years to achieve its ultimate height of 30 feet (9 metres). Trees can be kept to a more manageable size by Autumn and Winter pruning to maintain a height of 10 - 12 feet (3 - 3.5 metres); aim to form a wine glass shape with a fairly open centre to allow good circulation within.

Walnuts

As both the roots and leaves of Walnuts release juglone (a chemical which inhibits nearby plant growth) avoid planting anything under or within a few feet of the eventual canopy of the tree (the roots underneath will spread as far as the tree on top).

Walnuts will grow fairly large if they’re not pruned back - up to 50 feet (15 metres) in height with a spread of 30 feet (9 metres) - so open space is required.

With careful pruning, a fruiting bush with a spread of around 12 - 15 feet (3.5 – 4.5 metres) can be produced; to achieve this it is important to keep to a regular pruning regime. As soon as they have produced five or six leaves of growth, start cutting back the tips of branches – and continue to do so throughout the growing season.