The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California

15 Basic Ways To Landscape Your Homepage

Fruit trees are graded according to height and thickness of trunk. They are usually available in two or three sizes of one- or two-year-old stock. Either age plants have advantages. One-year-old trees are more easily handled and are less likely to have roots broken in transplanting or shipping. However two-year-old stock will bear fruit sooner.

Whether spring or fall planting is best depends on locality. Your local nurseryman or agricultural advisor can advise you. But all bare-root plants should be completely dormant at planting time with no bud growth evident.

As with all deciduous stock never let roots dry out. Remove any wrappings as soon as plants are received. If necessary plants may be temporarily buried in moist soil or stored for a few days in i cool damp cellar. The earlier fruit trees are planted in spring the better the chance to establish root systems before buds begin to swell.

Rather definite planting distances are recommended for each kind of fruit. In all cases ample space should be left between trees for room in spraying, pruning and harvesting. About 30 feet between trees should be allowed for Standard apple, pear and sweet cherry; and 20 feet for apricot, sour cherry, nectarine, plum and peach.

Planting space for dwarf trees varies from eight to 15 feet, depending on varieties. All fruit trees should be planted where they will receive sun most of the day.

In planting fruit trees dig a hole wide enough to accommodate the roots without crowding. Plant the same depth as grown in the nursery, or a little higher if settling might occur after the first watering.

If soil is very heavy or the drainage poor, dig deeper to break through any hard-pan. If necessary thoroughly pulverize the top soil removed from the hole. For best results mix one part of moist peal moss to two parts of soil ro be replaced.

Remove all broken roots just above the points of breakage with knife or clippers. Place tree in hole with trunk fitting squarely in the middle. Refill with the prepared topsoil, firming soil to keep moisture in and to better support the plant. Use no fertilizer in hole at time of planting but after growth start using manure liberally to serve the dual purpose of fertilizer and mulch.