Recognizing when to plant apple trees is important for establishing both healthy trees and plentiful future crops. Generally, the answer is between November and March, though this will depend on the weather and soil conditions, whether the apple trees are going in containers or being planted bare-rooted, among other considerations; we go into greater detail below.
With over 7,000 varieties growing worldwide and 2,500 available in the USA, there’s plenty of choice when it comes to planting apple trees. If you have limited space, or just tend to be indecisive, why not try a family tree, that has two or three different varieties grafted on to a single rootstock? Overall, apples have a long cropping season, so if you plan carefully, you can be picking, storing and savoring fruit from late August through November.
Of course, all this talk about reaping an ample harvest does depend on the health of the trees, and that all starts with planting at the ideal time. Follow our handy guide for everything you need to know.
When to plant apple trees
Planting fruit trees is usually done from fall to spring.
‘Once you have chosen a fruit tree, it is important to consider the best time of year to plant,’ says Helen Keating from the Woodland Trust. ‘The right moment to plant in this time period will depend on the weather and soil conditions. Generally, this is between November and March.’
When to plant bare-root apple trees
Often fruit trees from specialist nurseries are sent out during their dormant period, normally from November to March. Freshly lifted from the nursery bed and with their roots carefully wrapped, they are ready to be planted but this does depend on the weather conditions.
‘It is better to plant late in good conditions than early in poor conditions. If planting conditions are not ideal when the trees arrive, then heeling in [storing bare root fruit trees] is recommended and allowing the right planting moment to be taken from then on,’ says Jon Munday of Blackmoor Nurseries.
Avoid planting in snowy conditions, frozen or waterlogged ground and prepare the planting hole to the same depth of the roots and three times the spread.
When is the best time to plant a container grown apple tree?
‘Planting of containerized apple trees can take place all year round but is inadvisable when the soil is too wet or frozen,’ explains Jon Munday of Blackmoor Nurseries.
Whether they are going in the ground or a pot, good preparation is important. ‘If being planted into containers, select a container that does not dry out too quickly, such as an unglazed terracotta, with a diameter of 12-16in (30-40cm) and of a similar depth. Use good quality compost and annually apply a slow-release fertilizer. Mulching is also recommended to prevent the compost drying out.’
If planting a containerized apple tree straight into the ground, again make sure the ground is workable and not waterlogged.
James Owen of Raintree Nursery also suggests, ‘If you choose to plant out in a permanent location right away avoid planting on a hot sunny day and plant in early evening or early morning. Plants will do best if the weather is overcast or raining for several days following planting. Mulch the soil surface 1-2in deep after planting (not touching the trunk or canes) and irrigate deeply, then provide shade until the plants are well-established.’
When is the best time to plant an apple tree in a pot?
‘The size of container will dictate how much your tree can grow, so we recommend finding the largest container possible – at least 24in x 24in,’ says Sarah Cossom from the Orchard Project. ‘Install drainage holes at the bottom and raise the container up off the ground to aid drainage.’
When it comes to choosing trees Sarah says, ‘We recommend trees grafted onto versatile rootstocks like M26 or MM106, as they will be less prone to water stress. It is recommended to choose slow growing, less vigorous varieties for container growing.
Take your time researching which apple trees best suit your needs – there are cookers, eaters and cider apples to choose from – and be sure to taste different varieties before finalizing your selection. Also bear in mind that while some types are self-fertile others depend on cross-pollination to be productive, so you may need room for two or three trees in total.
What is the best month to plant apple trees?
Apple trees can be planted from November through to March, and the best month really does depend on which USDA zone you live in and the weather conditions at the time. So, if you live in a cold zone and weather is bad in winter, you would be best to plant apple trees in spring – February or March. If you live in a milder zone, you will be able to plant apple trees in November, December and right through to spring if the weather conditions are right.
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Jill Morgan has spent the last 20 years writing for Interior and Gardening magazines both in print and online. Titles she has been lucky enough to work on include House Beautiful, The English
Home, Ideal Home, Modern Gardens and Gardeningetc.com. Although much of her career has involved commissioning and writing about reader homes and home improvement projects, her
everlasting passion is for gardens and outdoor living, which is what she writes about for Homes & Gardens.
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Kujua wakati wa kupanda mimea ya mtofaa ni muhimu ili kukuza miti yenye afya na mazao mengi ya wakati ujao. Kwa ujumla, jibu ni kati ya Novemba na Machi, ingawa hii itategemea hali ya hewa na udongo, kama miti ya apple ni kwenda katika vyombo au kupandwa wazi-rooted, miongoni mwa mambo mengine. Kuna aina zaidi ya 7,000 zinazokua ulimwenguni kote na 2,500 zinazopatikana nchini Marekani, kuna chaguo nyingi linapokuja kupanda miti ya apple. Ikiwa una nafasi ndogo au una mwelekeo wa kutokuwa na uamuzi, kwa nini usijaribu mti wa familia, ambao una aina mbili au tatu tofauti zilizopandikizwa kwenye shina moja? Kwa ujumla, matunda ya apple yana msimu mrefu wa kuvuna, kwa hiyo ikiwa unapanga kwa uangalifu, unaweza kukusanya, kuhifadhi na kufurahia matunda kuanzia mwishoni mwa Agosti hadi Novemba. "Hata hivyo, ""kuvuna mavuno mengi"" kunategemea afya ya miti, na yote huanza kwa kupanda wakati unaofaa." Fuata mwongozo wetu wa mikono kwa kila kitu unachohitaji kujua. Wakati wa kupanda miti ya matofaa Kupanda miti ya matunda kwa kawaida hufanywa kuanzia vuli hadi majira ya kuchipua. "Mara tu unapochagua mti wa matunda, ni muhimu kuzingatia wakati bora wa mwaka wa kupanda", anasema Helen Keating kutoka Woodland Trust. "Wakati unaofaa wa kupanda katika kipindi hiki cha wakati utategemea hali ya hewa na udongo. Kwa kawaida, hii ni kati ya Novemba na Machi. <unk> Wakati wa kupanda miti ya apple yenye mizizi tupu Mara nyingi miti ya matunda kutoka kwa vibanda maalum hutumwa wakati wa kipindi chao cha kupumzika, kawaida kutoka Novemba hadi Machi. Baada ya kuondolewa kutoka kwenye kitanda cha watoto na mizizi yao imefungwa kwa uangalifu, tayari kupandwa, lakini hii inategemea hali ya hewa. "Ni afadhali kupanda baadaye katika hali nzuri kuliko mapema katika hali mbaya. "Ikiwa hali za kupanda hazifai wakati miti inapowasili, basi kupanda ndani [kuhifadhi miti ya matunda ya mizizi tupu] inashauriwa na kuruhusu wakati sahihi wa kupanda uchukuliwe kutoka wakati huo,"" anasema Jon Munday wa Blackmoor Nurseries." Kuepuka kupanda katika hali ya theluji, barafu au maji ya ardhi, na kuandaa shimo la kupanda kwa kina sawa na mizizi na mara tatu ya kuenea. Ni wakati gani unaofaa zaidi wa kupanda mti wa mtofaa uliokua katika chombo? "Kupanda miti ya matofaa ya kontena kunaweza kufanyika mwaka mzima lakini haipendekezi wakati udongo ni mvua sana au umefungia", anaelezea Jon Munday wa Blackmoor Nurseries. Iwe ni katika ardhi au katika sufuria, ni muhimu kuwa tayari. "Kama ni kupandwa katika vyombo, kuchagua vyombo kwamba si kukauka nje haraka sana, kama vile unglazed terracotta, na kipenyo cha 12-16 "" (30-40cm) na kina sawa." Tumia mbolea ya hali ya juu na kutumia mbolea ya kutolewa polepole kila mwaka. Mulching pia inashauriwa kuzuia mbolea kukauka. <unk> Ikiwa unapanda mti wa apple uliohifadhiwa moja kwa moja ardhini, hakikisha tena kwamba ardhi inafanya kazi na haijajaa maji. "James Owen wa Raintree Nursery pia anapendekeza, ""Ikiwa unachagua kupanda mahali pa kudumu mara moja, epuka kupanda siku ya jua kali na kupanda mapema jioni au mapema asubuhi." Mimea itaendelea vizuri zaidi ikiwa hali ya hewa itakuwa na mawingu au mvua kwa siku kadhaa baada ya kupandwa. Kuondoa mchanga kwenye udongo wa mti wa apple baada ya kupanda (bila kugusa shina au miiba) na kunyunyizia kwa kina, kisha kutoa kivuli hadi mimea imeanzishwa vizuri. """Ukubwa wa chombo utaamua jinsi mti wako unavyoweza kukua, kwa hivyo tunapendekeza kupata chombo kikubwa zaidi iwezekanavyo - angalau 24x24,"" anasema Sarah Cossom kutoka Mradi wa Orchard." "Kutumia chombo cha maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji.""" Inashauriwa kuchagua aina zinazokua polepole, zisizo na nguvu sana kwa ajili ya kukuza vyombo. Chukua muda wako kutafiti ambayo miti ya apple bora kukidhi mahitaji yako - kuna cooks, eaters na apple cider kuchagua kutoka - na kuwa na uhakika wa ladha aina tofauti kabla ya kumaliza uteuzi wako. Pia kumbuka kwamba wakati baadhi ya aina ni self-fertile wengine hutegemea msalaba-pollination kuwa uzalishaji, hivyo unaweza haja ya nafasi kwa ajili ya miti miwili au tatu kwa jumla. Ni mwezi gani ulio mzuri zaidi wa kupanda mimea ya mtofaa? Miti ya apple inaweza kupandwa kuanzia Novemba hadi Machi, na mwezi bora inategemea eneo la USDA unaloishi na hali ya hewa wakati huo. Kwa hiyo, ikiwa unaishi katika eneo lenye baridi na hali ya hewa ni mbaya wakati wa majira ya baridi kali, ingekuwa afadhali kupanda miti ya matofaa wakati wa masika <unk> Februari au Machi. Ikiwa unaishi katika eneo lenye joto la chini, unaweza kupanda mimea ya mtofaa mnamo Novemba, Desemba, na hadi majira ya kuchipua ikiwa hali ya hewa ni nzuri. Kujiandikisha kwa Homes & Gardens jarida Decor Mawazo. Mradi wa Msukumo. Mashauri ya Wataalamu. Imetolewa kwenye sanduku lako la barua. Jill Morgan amekuwa akichora kwa miaka 20 kwa ajili ya magazeti ya mambo ya ndani na bustani, wote katika kuchapishwa na mtandaoni. Miongoni mwa vitabu alivyovipokea ni House Beautiful, The English Home, Ideal Home, Modern Gardens na Gardeningetc.com. Ingawa kazi yake ya kazi imehusisha kuagiza na kuandika juu ya nyumba za wasomaji na miradi ya uboreshaji wa nyumbani, shauku yake ya milele ni kwa bustani na kuishi nje, ambayo ni kile anaandika juu ya Homes & Gardens. "Kaisie Musgraves's new Boy Smells Candle ni wimbo wa heshima kwa mazingira ya asili, ""Home Scent"" - jina la albamu yake ya hivi karibuni, ""Deeper Well"" - ni harufu ya bustani iliyoelezwa kama ""earthy-gourmet"" na Hannah Ziegler." Si kwa ajili ya dhaifu ya moyo, mtaalamu anasema mawakala wa mali isiyohamishika na wakandarasi kufunua kama au si ni wazo nzuri ya kununua nyumba ya kihistoria, kupima juu ya faida na hasara na Chiana Dickson Published