Good friends of UBC, I am trying to make a mound for my fruit trees to be planted in so there is extra drainage....I don't want the fruit tree being planted same as soil level...I want to raise it a few inches. Please tell me if this is the right way to execute this? -Work an area of 15 square feet of soil, raising it 12 inches and 3 feet in diameter. -place root ball and bring in soil from area around.
Place a piece of concrete or other such impedement to the roots growth downward under the tree. This forces the trees roots to grow outward enabling them to take up more nutriments closer to the surface. Staking of the tree is needed as usual untill it's established. A yearly supply of mulch and regular watering helps. Flat stones were used by gardener under fruit trees in the 1800's for this exact purpose.
I'm no fruit tree expert but for planting any plant at all on a mound, you have to realize that when you water it, as you probably have to do in its first summer no matter where in Canada you are (please do consider making your location more specific in your profile), the water will run away from the roots. So you need a flat top, a moat, or something to catch water and direct it to the roots.
I'm a little confused about doing this the right way. I will plant the rootball of fruit tree on the soil surface and just bring soil from around(15 square feet) to cover the root ball leaving the graft union 2 inches above soil level. Is this ok.? I live in Toronto
Should I be this concern about drainage by planting on a mound?....the soil is predominanly made up of loam and manure. I am thinking about having extra drainage as a precaution.
Dosen't seem so... but last year I watered an apple tree in my yard with 21 litres of water....didin't seem like much at the time....days later I had to throw it out...it looked sick, like it had root rot.
