Varieties that produce well west of the Cascades

In Western Washington fruit trees may be planted any time after the leaves begin falling in the autumn (usually in November) until growth takes place in the spring (usually in April). Trees may be planted in January, February, and March, "the earlier, the better". Fall planting is preferred whenever possible. The trees begin root growth during mild weather. Don't attempt to plant during freezing temperatures.

Dig the hole large enough so roots will not touch the sides (usually 2' x 2'). Do not force or bend roots. Cut back broken or bruised roots. Put the best topsoil you have at the bottom of the hole and spread out the roots. Well rotted manure or compost may be placed under the topsoil. (In no way should any fertilizer come in contact with the roots. It is better to use no fertilizer than take a chance.)

Stand the tree in the hole and fill with topsoil and water well. It is important to leave the graft or bud union two to three inches above the soil line. Note: Most of our trees are budded high so that they can be planted deeper in their permanent location. The advantage of high budding and deeper planting is that the tree has better anchorage and will have less tendency to lean which is especially important with dwarf trees.

Remove undesirable branches and cut back one-half of last season's growth. Cut back the leader approximately sixteen inches above the top branch. Always prune just above a bud. The last bud on the branch will determine the direction of new growth. Remember the last bud should be to the outside on the side branches while the last bud on the leader should be toward the center.

You may wait until February to prune fall planted trees. There is always the possibility that we could have cold enough weather in January to kill the end buds after fall pruning. Then you would need to reprune.

Send mail to wm@hartmannursery.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: October 11, 2000