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Growing Fruit Trees

Fruit trees make a great addition to any backyard, and will provide you with the amazing taste of fresh fruit throughout the year.  Here are our tips on how to grow fruit trees.

Preparing the Site

Firstly, you need to select a site that has direct sunlight for at least half of the day, while also being protected from strong winds.  If you have a bare rooted fruit tree, dig the hole to the depth of the new roots.  The width of the hole however, should extend past the roots.  Fruit trees have roots that feed just beneath the surface of the soil, and thus do not need large holes.  Before you plant the tree, you should prune the branches of the tree so that they are in proportion with the size of the roots.  Quite often, bare rooted trees have been pruned severely before being put up for sale.  It is important that the branches are pruned to an outside bud to the length that is relative to the size of the roots.  If the long branches are not cut back, they will die anyway, as the roots in the ground can only support a similar amount of branches.

Watering the Tree

Before planting your fruit tree, you should water it thoroughly several hours before planting.  This will moisten the root ball and prevent damage occurring when you plant it.  Also water the site thoroughly the day before planting.  Once the tree is planted, give it a good watering in.

Planting the Tree

Position the tree on a loose pile of soil that is at the bottom of the hole and then backfill.  Do not use fertilizers at this stage.  To avoid air pockets, gently shake the tree by the trunk to settle the soil around the roots.  This ensures that moisture can reach all of the roots.  Once this is done, gently compact the soil with your foot.

Fertilising the Tree

To fertilise your new fruit tree, combine sheep manure and blood and bone in a ten litre bucket.  Apply generously in a circle around the outer root zone of the tree.  This will encourage the new roots to grow towards the fertiliser, which will break down and be absorbed by the soil.  The roots will grow towards the fertiliser and this will help to establish strong roots for a stable tree.

Staking the Tree

Always drive stakes into the ground well away from the root zone in order to prevent damage to the tree.  Tall stakes are not necessary as the height of the stake does not correspond to the amount of support that it provides.  Use a special tree tying material to secure the tree to the stakes.  Using the special material allows the tree to develop trunk strength while still retaining its flexibility.  Two or three stakes is usually plenty.

Mulching the Tree

Using a good mulch around the new fruit tree will stop the soil from drying out or heating up, stops weeds, and also adds organic matter to the soil.  Never allow the mulch to touch the trunk of the tree otherwise collar rot may occur.  If your tree is susceptible to frost, do not mulch it in the winter months.  This will allow the soil to absorb heat through the day and radiate it out at night, reducing the risk and severity of frost damage.

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