Hi Everyone, I don't have the slightest clue about tree planting....I have a bunch of tree's on my families property that I want to transplant onto mine. Is it okay to do this during the fall or should I wait for the spring?? Thank you, Rhianna
Hardy trees growing in the ground in this climate can be transplanted during mild spells throughout the winter. Otherwise fall is the best time to plant, as when buying nursery stock grown in containers and planting it out. Conditions - both within the plant and in the planting environment - are much better for establishment then than they are in spring. Bare-rooted stock coming out of storage has lost its feeder roots, is therefore planted in spring in cold climates. Otherwise, most stock is bought and planted in spring simply because that is when most customers are interested in doing so. Retail outlets have their best selection at that time, in response to the seasonality of demand.
We tend to go for autumn . Firstly because the soil is still warm and 2ndly hopefully there is plentiful winter rain before the hot summer. Spring is almost too late here as it is relativly short before the dry sets in. I suspect areas differ according to climate types but follow what your local conditions are. Liz
There is a whole sequence of pairings that make fall better: Fall: soils warm and aerated Spring: soils cold and soggy Fall: stored energy reserves inside plant high Spring: stored energy reserves inside plant low Fall: existing roots elongating, the most of the whole year Spring: energy concentrated more in new shoot growth than in root growth And so on. The boom time for sales of hardy stock at outlets in USDA 6 and warmer should be fall instead of spring. Except for bare-rooted stock or for spring-blooming stock that is wanted to be seen in flower before purchase.
