‘Red Spy’ Apple

Bare-root Tree Planting Guide

By definition, bare-root trees are not grown in a pot and will not have any soil around their roots – hence the name “bare root”. Our bare-root trees are dormant, which makes them easier to transplant since they experience less transpiration (water loss) immediately after planting because they do not have growing leaf tissue. The best thing you can do for new bare-root stock is to avoid shock as much as possible, so don’t wait until it’s too late in the season to plant. The best time to plant a bare-root tree, or any other bare-root plant, is in the fall or early spring. If you cannot plant right away, is also very important to not let the roots dry out completely as this will severely reduce the viability after planting. 

Steps to planting a bare-root tree;

• Prepare the planting site
  • Remove all perennial weeds and grasses within 3-4ft of the tree’s location.
    • Grass growing close to the trunk is the easiest way to stunt/dwarf trees, which is not what you want in the first few developing seasons.
  • A planting hole that is large enough to accommodate the current root system with some extra room to grow.
    • For fruit trees, we recommend a round hole at least 3′ W x 2.5′ D. This sized hole or larger will allow the new roots to grow into freshly worked soil over the course of a few years.
    • It probably makes little sense to dig any hole deeper than 2’. Most deciduous fruit trees (standard or dwarf) have a somewhat fibrous root system in which their effective feeding roots are typically in the top 1–2’ of the soil. While they may have “anchor” roots that go deeper, these roots are adept at growing downward themselves.
  • Add compost and/or fertilizer to the hole and soil removed during digging.
• Spread out the dormant tree’s roots to encourage outward growth.
• Keep the tree vertical in the planting hole (perpendicular to the ground) so that it grows straight.
  • Use stakes or metal posts to encourage straight growth especially with dwarfing rootstocks and windy sites.
    • The key with tree support is to loosely tie the tree to allow it to still move in the wind so it develops its own support for when you remove the post after a few seasons.
    • It is recommended that some dwarfing rootstock remain trellised for their lifetime as their root structure will not be able to support their heavy fruit weights before harvest. Search high-density orchards for more information. BC HD Planting Manual. OMAFRA HD Orchard Trellis Video. 

• Refill the hole with native soil (what was removed at digging time), and any other soil amendments. Keep the graft union (noticeable “bump” in the lower trunk) 2-3 inches above the ground. Also, be aware of bud and branch locations when setting in your tree.

• Gently tamp out any air pockets from the soil once the planting hole is filled, but not too hard to damage the roots or cause compaction.

• Thoroughly water your newly planted tree.
• Prune tree! See our guide to pruning fruit trees.
• (Optional) Mulch around the newly planted tree to help retain and balance soil moisture as the new roots begin to develop. We recommend wood chips as straw grass clipping and sawdust can create over-wintering habitats for rodents who will damage the trunks of the trees.

If planting must be delayed after purchase, keep trees in a shaded/cool location with roots buried in moist peat moss or sawdust. Make sure the media (peat or sawdust) moist/damp and is not soaked/saturated with water for long periods of time because the roots do need to breathe. If the media becomes saturated allow it to dry out over time and avoid overwatering again. The correct moisture should allow you to make a ball of media in your hand that when squeezed lets out some moisture into your hand.  Using this method, you may see new roots begin to develop into the media. Be careful when transplanting to avoid breaking too many of the newly developing roots.