12 Planting MISTAKES Killing Your Fruit Trees

Comments · 518

• AN

  @AnneofAllTrades · 2 years ago · pinned

  Thanks for tuning in! Check out Daniel&apos;s YouTube channel HERE!: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0E0cawAtHibQUY8t4AIAcQ">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0E0cawAtHibQUY8t4AIAcQ</a>

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• MI

  @MichaelDavis-x5i · 2 years ago (edited)

  30 years ago I purchased my fruit trees by Mail Order to Stark Bros in Missouri. These were bare-root trees, 2 different varieties of each for cross-pollination: Apple, Pear, Plum, Apricot, Peach, Pear, and 6 Blueberry bare-root plants. When the trees arrived I was stunned because they were at least 1&quot; in diameter on the central leader, far larger than my local nurseries offered but at a fraction of the price through Stark Bros. What was hard for me was to take a leap of faith with the planting instructions Stark provided. These instructions thankfully were very detailed. First, the planting holes had to be 4 feet in diameter. This required me to rent a two-man gas power auger with a 7&quot; screw drilled to about 2.5 feet depth. The clay soil was broken up and thoroughly mixed with compost, nitrolized Redwood chips, Jersey Greensand, Rock Phosphate, and some soil Sulphur. The bare root plants were hydrated for 24 hours in water with B1 vitamin. The instruction said to clip off the ends of some of the roots and cull any bad ones entirely. The depth of planting is critical as pointed out in this video. Each tree was staked to allow the wind to vibrate and strengthen the lower part of the tree especially the point where it exits the soil. The rubber guy wires are placed at a point about 1/2 way up the central leader. &nbsp;Then the instructions said to remove all branches from the central leader leaving only it. This would allow the tree roots to be forced to develop. The bark of the central leader gets enough sun to photosynthesize. Stark explained there are three parts of the tree using energy: the Roots, The Branches, and the Fruit. Each one represents 33% of the plant where you must create BALANCE. The sun&apos;s energy is 100% and divided into those three parts. Taking off the branches allows the root to use 100% of the sun&apos;s energy to develop a very strong root system. I read that I should not expect fruit or allow fruit on the tree for the first three years. Allow it to bear in the fourth year. In year one, two, and three, Stark has instructions how to &quot;Train&quot; the branches into the best for bearing and also to increase the branch strength knot of the central leader. This is necessary because when these fruit up they are so heavy, if not strengthened, they can break off and strip the cambium from the central leader severely wounding the plant. These first three years are critical to the heavy bearing and health of the tree. In the first year, you will see new branches. You will need to select branch exits approximately 120 degrees from each other on the central leader as viewed from the top of the tree. These small diameter branches are flexible and you will train them to become GRADUALLY more PERPENDICULAR to the central leader eliminating all but these three at this level. To train them you use notched sticks of different lengths between the central leader and each branch forcing the branch to about 60 to 70-degree angle from the central leader. These will be replaced with longer sticks in the second year to achieve an angle of 75 to 80 degrees then in the third year about 85 degrees. By this time the branch will be much larger in diameter, &nbsp;like 2 1/2&quot; TO 3&quot;, Stark Bros sells these spacers. When looking at your tree you can allow branches at mid-level and up but keep them at three main branches at 120 degrees and stake as explained above. On some trees, like plums, you will in the the third year cut off the central leader above the first three branches to form a &quot;Vase&quot; shape. These and other types of fruit (but not all) love this shape and will be much healthier overall. My fruit trees are pruned annually to maintain a balance of energy to the roots, branches, and fruit. I trim back to reduce the fruit to do this. If you neglect to trim them you will have one year they will bear heavy then the next year you won&apos;t have any fruit. You will be doing yourself and the plant a favor by trimming them every year as they bud out. Don&apos;t worry the ones you leave on the branches will be incredible and you will have enough of them that&apos;s guaranteed! As a final note. my trees are mature now and in excellent health with 8 to 10&quot; diameter central leader and bearing way more than I can eat with very large and delicious fruit. I hope this helps someone. And thanks for your video! It is excellent!

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• SH

  @shapiemau2244 · 2 years ago

  This has been perfect information Anne. Folk have got to study nature more because the answers are already there. <br>Take for example a peach tree, the peach will fall to the ground, it will remain on top of the ground and the flesh will rot around it. Come autumn and the peach tree will lose its foliage, these leaves will fall onto the pip and protect it from the frosts. Eventually spring comes around again and the seed starts to break out - nothing is compacting anything else. Nature has been doing this for years! Thank you both for showing this - we all continue to learn :)

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• HO

  @homesteadrevivals · 2 years ago

  For seniors or people with disabilities or chronic illness, buying potted trees may be best. When you buy bare root trees, it&apos;s important to get them into the ground asap. The trees don&apos;t care about your physical limitations. Getting them in pots buys you a little time to get rested or get through the worst of your flare, or to find someone to help you plant.

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• NI

  @NinaHansen2008 · 2 years ago

  I bought a house that had a very large tree that had been supported by a tomato cage. By the time I came there the metal of the cage was deeply embedded in the bark; there was no way to get it out. One day during a windstorm, the tree gently toppled over. The roots were shallow and I could tell that that the poor thing never had a chance!

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• KJ

  @kjones2008 · 2 years ago

  Anne and Daniel … how timely. &nbsp;Many thanks!

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• RO

  @robertalynch5433 · 2 years ago

  This explains why most of my baby trees die. &nbsp;Thank you!

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• RA

  @rachelmunoz · 2 years ago

  “Especially when they’re really young…” “so if you scratch the bark or damage the roots, that can be present in the tree for its entire life.” <br><br>Wow. That hit deep! Seems like a reflection of how we are as humans too. If we are hurt when we are young, those wounds appear to be present throughout the rest of our lives too. Thankful for healing that can be had!

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• TH

  @thetexianpatriot2201 · 2 years ago

  I’m getting prepared to plant 15 King Mulberry trees. I propagated them from a bare root tree that I planted 3yrs ago.

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• IS

  @Ishiisan · 2 years ago (edited)

  Went out and checked on my Fuy Persimmon that wasn&apos;t look too great. It was rootbound. I did my first chiseling of a tree root. I hope she makes it 🤞<br><br>UPDATE: IT’S ALIVE! it&apos;s looking so much healthier!

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• BO

  @BowtieLife · 2 years ago (edited)

  I’m sure it was staged but I LOVED ❤ that you addressed MULCH VOLCANOES up front in the teaser. Always hated seeing those, especially from real ‘landscapers’!<br><br>This is the best video I’ve ever seen on planting and arranging the roots of a new tree! 🌳 This guy is a real treasure! (Well, you, too 😊 )<br><br>I enjoy all your content but this series is AWESOME! I agree with the other commenter who said hurry hurry hurry with the next part!

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• AN

  @angelas4681 · 2 years ago

  Anne, I absolutely love the humor you bring to everything. &nbsp;Informative and hilarious.

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