Emma Miller
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Planting apple trees in the fall will help the plant root until spring. Experienced gardeners advise planting apple trees in the fall and leaving the tree to overwinter in the soil. It is believed that such a plant will better take root and get stronger by spring.
Why apple trees should be planted in autumn: advantages
- In the autumn, the biological processes in the tree slow down. It more easily endures the stress of transplanting and better take root.
- After wintering in the ground, apple trees do not waste energy on rooting in the spring.
- Taking care of apple trees in the fall is easier than in the spring.
- Fall is the richest rainy season, which is good for seedlings.
When to plant apple trees in the fall
It is very important to plant and root apple trees before the first winter frosts, otherwise, the seedlings will freeze. In order for the tree to form new roots, the temperature should not fall below 10° for 2 weeks.
How to plant apple trees in autumn
- One day before planting, place the sapling in a bucket of water to infuse moisture into the roots.
- Choose a well-lit and wind-protected piece of land (ideally near a fence).
- Dig a hole 0.7 m deep, and it is advisable to lay a layer of small stones at the bottom.
- Add 1 kg of compost, manure, or ash to the hole for fertilizer.
- Hammer a half-meter peg into the hole to support the seedling.
- Insert the sapling into the ground so that the root neck is 5 cm above the ground. This will help the apple tree bear fruit better.
- Backfill the sapling, but do not tamp it down.
- Tie the tree to a peg.
- Water the apple tree with 2 buckets of water.
- It is desirable to sprinkle the earth around the sapling with pine sawdust so that the soil does not dry out.
