Planting bare root fruit trees

By David Domoney

Like me, you might love fruit. Even better is popping outside and picking your own fruit from your garden, balcony or terrace.

If you want to add a fruit tree to your garden, between November and April is the time to plant bare-root fruit trees.

Bare-root trees are called this because they are supplied with no soil around their roots. They are grown in fields, lifted and the soil removed. They are then sent off to garden centres, nurseries or direct to your door.

The planting window of time might be small, but the benefits are considerable. Not everything in the garden is ready to hibernate. So long as the soil isn’t frozen or waterlogged you can continue planting in it.

Planted now, these trees will get their roots down into the soil and become stronger, more robust plants. Come spring and summer, they’ll already have a good network of well-developed roots.

Bare-root or container fruit tree?

Here's a few reasons why I think planting bare-root fruit trees is better than container grown:

• Bare-root trees are usually 30-50% cheaper than container-grown
• They are better at coping with drought conditions
• They take off / produce new growth more quickly
• If handled correctly, they are often more successful in the long term. This is because the roots don't have a risk of being root-bound like they do in a pot
• You can often find a greater selection of bare-root fruit trees and other edible crop trees
• They’re light to handle, so easier to deal with

There are some advantages of container grown fruit trees. In most cases, container-grown trees bear fruit a year or two earlier than bare-root trees.

When choosing your bare-root fruit tree, the tree should be healthy and free of wounds.

Look out for a straight trunk. Try and avoid trunks that have curves and bends.

Look at the branches. Make sure they’re evenly spaced and radiate in all directions.

When it comes to the roots, they should be firm and moist, not soft and mushy, and not dry that they snap off easily. They should also radiate in all directions, just like the branches.

Ideally, you should plant your bare-root fruit tree as soon as you get it.

If you cannot plant it straight away then store it in a cold, shaded place, such as the north side of the house. If the roots are exposed, pack them with moist wood shavings or potting soil. If the ground isn’t frozen, you can dig a trench and heel the plant in until you’re ready to plant it in its final position.

You don't want the roots on your tree to dry out. If they’re dry when you get your tree, soak the roots in a bucket of warm water for between 30 and 60 minutes. Don’t leave the roots sitting in water.

The best thing to do, if possible, is to prepare your planting hole before you get your tree. That way you can get it straight in the soil.

The hole should be twice the width of the root spread. Never squeeze, bend or crowd the roots into the hole.

The crown (where the trunk meets the roots) should sit at the same depth as it was planted in the field. You can usually tell by looking for a soil line on the trunk. Or, plant it slightly above the soil level to help ensure all roots are in a downward direction.

Most fruit trees are grafted onto rootstock - i.e. the fruit tree is joined to the root system of a different tree. This is done by growers to help guarantee the success of the fruit tree. You can see where this happened as there will be a swollen area at the bottom of the trunk. Make sure this swollen bit is planted about 5cm above soil level.

Sprinkle bone meal into the hole. This will help promote healthy root systems and stimulate plant growth. Sprinkle the bare roots with mycorrhizal fungi. This creates a symbiotic association between the fungus and the plant. The fungi will absorb phosphorous and water from the soil, while the tree provides carbon and sugars for the fungi.

Once the tree is in place, backfill the hole with the soil you dug out. Firm the soil with your hands to get rid of any air pockets.

When the hole is filled, create a circular mound around the trunk. This will help hold water and concentrate it downwards to the roots.

Mulch with homemade compost, bark or straw, making sure the crown of the plant is not covered.

You could stake your tree, but this is not always necessary.