How to plant a fruit tree video tutorial

To plant a fruit tree, you need the right materials. A good stake, treated so that it will have a life of at least 10-15 years. It should be approximately 6 feet long, with a point at the bottom. A round stake is better than a square stake. You’ll need a tree guard, and some tools. Try to plant the tree in December, January or February. If you plant in March, make sure that the roots do not dry out, and water the tree in well. Plant the tree in the right soil, in a position of full sunshine. The soil can be light loam or clay. Don’t dig the hole too deep, and break up the soil at the bottom of the hole. Then put in the stake. Place the stake on one side of the hole, positioned so that the prevailing wind tends to blow the tree onto the stake. That way, if the tie breaks, the tree is still supported. You can knock the stake in with a heavy hammer. If you have a drive-all, it makes the job easier. Now we can plant the tree. Slide it out of the pot, over the planting hole, so that any loose soil falls into the hole. Don’t place it too close to the stake. Then fill the spaces around the tree with some quality compost. Shake the tree up and down gently, and make sure that all spaces around the roots are well filled. Then complete with the soil that you removed when digging the hole. The union should be at least 3 inches above the level of the soil. Fasten the tree to the stake using a tie. Make an S-bend to give the trunk space to expand and grow. Use another tie to hold the central leader in an upright position. Ideally it should be as vertical as possible. Protect the tree from rabbits, muntjacs, cats and dogs by putting on a good tree guard. Deer will need a specially high guard. It’s important not to plant the tree in grass. You can do this in two ways. Either by manually clearing the weeds around the tree, for a diameter of about a yard, or by using well-rotted straw or hay to prevent the grass from growing. This has the added benefit of maintaining moisture levels in the soil around the tree. Make sure that the straw or hay is not touching the trunk, in order to prevent damage by mice. Now that the tree is planted, remember to water it regularly during spring and summer. Check how it is getting on at regular intervals. A tree is a living organism, and if something is wrong, it will tell you by the colour of the bark, and its leaf. When the leaves start to fold, the tree is too dry. Read more at https://realenglishfruit.co.uk/ Narration by Dan Neuteboom, camera Sonia Di Bari