When you decide that you would like to raise some
fruit trees in your garden area, its time to find the
ideal plant to start with.

The best trees are at least two years old and from
3-5 feet tall. They will survive the disturbing
transplanting process and also bear fruit faster.

Start with a reputable garden nursery that you trust.
The young trees should have their roots wrapped in
damp packing material and plastic. This prevents the
roots from drying out and causing the tree to die.

When you get your tree home, leave it in a cool,
shaded area, with the packing material intact.
On the day you intend to plant it, remove the
material and place the roots in a pail of water to
soak, ideally overnight. Make a large hole, at least
half the size of the full spread of the tree's root
system. Use rich topsoil in the bottom of the hole
to give added nourishment and strength to your
fruit tree. To loosen the soil and give the area a
chance at good moisture and drainage, mix 1 part
peat moss to every 2 parts of topsoil.

If the ground you are working with is extremely
acid, use limestone to bring it to good planting earth.
Do not use fertilizer when you plant your tree. Most
soils are just fine for normal growth and the
disturbed roots will be extremely sensitive to burning
by chemical fertilizers. You may use a fertilizer when
the roots are established and have taken to the area.
Prune your tree to give it added strength. Giving your
new tree a little careful attention when planting will
insure a healthy, strong tree to bear all the fruit that
you want it to produce.

After planting and pruning, water the tree thoroughly
and give it a pailful of water every week during the
spring and summer months, except when it rains.
Use a little less water then, but equivalent to the
pailful. To keep the moisture around your tree and
keep weeds from growing, spread a mulch of ground
bark or wood chips about 3-4 inches deep around the
trunk, with a shallow moat of earth made to hold the
water until it is absorbed.

If you follow a few precautionary planting tips such
as those above, you will be far ahead in your quest
for healthy plants and abundant harvests.

So get ready for those apple, cherry, or pear dessert
ideas. Enjoy!
©Arleen M. Kaptur 2002 May
Arleen Kaptur has written numerous articles, e-books
and the novel: SEARCHING FOR AUSTIN JAMES.
Websites:
http://www.arleenssite.com
http://www.Arleens-RusticLiving.com
http://www.rusticliving.info
http://www.webspawner.com/users/rusticliving/
http://topica.com/lists/simpleliving