Planting Bare-Root Fruit Trees

Planting Bare-Root Fruit Trees: A Step-by-Step Guide

Few things are more satisfying for a home gardener than enjoying edible plants grown in your own yard, particularly fruit. Planting a bare-root fruit tree is an increasingly popular way to bring homegrown deliciousness to your table, enhance the beauty of your landscape, and support local pollinators. Here are some best practices for successfully planting a bare-root fruit tree in your backyard.

Understanding Bare-Root Trees

Bare-root trees look like a bunch of sticks and it takes some imagination to visualize the amazing food source they will become. They are sold without a pot and with no soil around their roots, making them lightweight and easy to transport. This method is often more cost-effective than potted trees. However, it’s critical to protect their fragile root systems during transport and plant them correctly to ensure successful growth.

When to Plant

While potted fruit trees can be planted most any month in the East Bay, the single best time to get bare-root fruit trees in the ground is during their dormancy period in late winter. In our area, this means from late January to early March. Planting during this time allows the tree to establish its roots before the growing season begins so it has a strong foundation for the unpredictable weather periods ahead.

Remember, Choose the Right Location

1. Sunlight: Ensure your chosen spot receives at least 6, but preferably 8, hours of sunlight daily. The vast majority of fruit trees thrive in full sun.
   
   
2. Soil Drainage: Test your soil to confirm it’s well-draining as this is the most important factor for fruit tree health. Conduct a simple percolation test by diging a good sized hole, filling it with water, then observing how long it takes to drain.
   
   - If the hole drains between 20 minutes and up to a few hours, that is generally acceptable.
   - If the hole drains in a few minutes, you will probably need to amend with a mix that adds structure plus water your tree more often.
   - If drainage takes more than several hours, you should consider a different planting location or utilize a raised planting bed to elevate your tree into a better draining environment.
   - If you need deeper advice about your soil quality and composition, ask one of our nursery associates or consult an Alameda County master gardener. 
   
   
3. Space: Make sure there’s ample room for your new fruit tree to grow. Carefully consider the mature size of the tree, both its height and its spread. Avoid planting it too close to buildings, fences, or other large plants that may compete with it for nutrients.
   

How to Prep for Planting

1. Digging the Hole: Dig a hole that is twice as wide as the root system of your bare-root tree. Make sure the hole is deep enough to accommodate the longest part of the tree’s root system.
   
   
2. Soil Preparation: Gently loosen the native soil at the bottom of the hole and mix in a few handfuls of compost if you wish. Before you start back filling, amend the remaining native soil to approximately a 50/50 mix according to its type as determined by the percolation test. If you have a fast-draining loamy soil, use a soil conditioner or amendment that helps create more structure. If you have a slow-draining clay soil, use some small fir mulch, peat moss, or coconut coir to increase organic matter and soil aeration.
   
   
3. Before Planting: Soak the roots of your fruit tree in a shallow bucket of water for up to an hour to help hydrate them. This is especially crucial if the roots have been uncovered or the roots have become visibly dry.
   

Plant That Tree!

1. Positioning: Mound up a firm cone of soil in the middle of the hole, then place the tree over it with the roots spread out gently. Make sure that the graft union is 2-4 inches above ground level to prevent rot. The graft union is very visible on a bare root tree. It is the slightly swollen area in the lower part of the trunk where the tree variety was grafted onto the rootstock.
   
   Pro Tip: Lay your shovel handle across the planting hole. This will help you see if your tree is sitting too low or too high.
   
   
2. Filling the Hole: Using your amended native soil, backfill the hole carefully, firming it around the roots as you go and breaking up any large clumps. You may need a helper to hold the tree upright by its trunk while you do this. 
   
   When backfilling is almost complete, add some water to help settle the soil and eliminate air pockets. If the tree starts to settle too low below the soil line, you can gently pump it up and down to help raise it further up. Then finish filling the hole.
   
   
3. Watering Again: Use your remaining native soil mix to make a donut shaped berm that forms a watering basin around the tree. Then water gently and slowly to help settle the remaining soil around the roots. Try to keep the trunk dry as you water and minimize splashing. This helps prevent fungal problems.
   

Tender Post-Planting Care

1. Mulching: Apply a layer of wood chip mulch around the base of the tree, about 3-4 inches thick. Leave a generous “donut hole” shaped space in the middle where the trunk resides. Mulch helps retain surrounding soil moisture, suppresses weeds, and improves soil quality as it breaks down over time.
   
   
2. Watering Schedule: Keep the soil consistently moist (but not soggy) during the first growing season. Water deeply once a week, and more often during hot or dry periods.
   
   
3. Initial Pruning: Bare Root fruit trees generally come with a few long thin branches so pruning is not necessary on planting day. However, to set your tree up for success, we recommend these excellent video tips from Dave Wilson Nursery’s tree expert, Tom Spellman who appeared on Epic Garden’s channel. The whole video is helpful for bare-root planting; the pruning info starts at 15:00.
   

In Closing

Planting a bare-root fruit tree is a gift to your future self as well as your local ecosystem. By following these best practices, your tree will be well established and you’ll be on your way to fresh, delicious fruit for years to come.

At Evergreen Nursery, our friendly and knowledgeable staff members are always here to help you select the right fruit tree for your outdoor space. Whether you’re looking for a juicy apple or a sweet peach, we can guide you through the process and answer any questions you may have. Happy Planting!

Additional Resources for Bare-Root Fruit Tree Planting:

Planting guidance from Dave Wilson Nursery

Publication 8048 from University of California