FAQs

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When Your Trees Arrive

If the trunk snapped after pick-up, what do I do?

As long as the tree snapped above the graft at the very bottom of the trunk, it will still make it! Just prune it down to the next bud. 

How is a bare root tree cared for until it is planted?

Trees need to be kept in a cool dark place until they are planted. Keep trees out of direct sunlight and warm temperatures until planting time. They can die if the roots freeze before being planted. Plant trees as soon as possible after they arrive home or as soon as the ground thaws enough to dig a hole, even if temperatures are still dipping below freezing. Follow the steps below:

1) When you arrive home with your tree, remove it from sunlight or freezing temperatures as quickly as possible. An unheated basement, garage, or dark cool place that doesn’t freeze is ideal for temporary storage. Trees will dry out if they are brought indoors where there is heat, or even a warm basement with a furnace.

2) Open the box and set aside damp packing material. Sprinkle water on the roots so there aren’t any dry spots.

3) Inspect the trees for any damage. If branches or roots snapped during during transport use a hand shears and prune off broken branches down to the closest outward facing bud and all will be okay! Only if the central leader has broken will the tree require a “heading cut” down to the bud closest to the break.

4) If the trees are being planted on the day of arrival (the optimal time!), then they can be placed in a bucket of water for up to 2 hours before planting to aid in water uptake prior to being transplanted. 

5) If the trees are NOT getting planted immediately: After inspecting and watering, cover the roots back up with watered down packing material and tightly wrap the root ball with the plastic from the box so there are no air holes. Trunks should remain upright with no plastic around them except snuggly at the top of the root system. 

How do I plant a tree?

Hop on over to our 10 Steps for Planting a Tree blog, my Friend!

Can the tree be planted if it is still getting down into freezing temps?

Yes! As long as the tree is planted and roots are covered in soil, it is totally fine for the tree to be planted when it is still freezing out. In fact, the tree will do better being planted as soon as possible after shipping than waiting for milder temperatures. We recommend planting the tree as soon as the ground has thawed enough to dig a hole.

Will the tree be okay if it is already beginning to leaf out?

It’s common for trees to begin budding out in April. In late April and early May they could already have leaves emerging. This is okay, the tree will do just fine but it really needs to get in the ground as soon as possible and roots kept plenty moist. The more the tree has leafed out, the more sensitive it will be to being transplanted, especially if conditions are sunny, dry, or windy at the time of planting.

Do the roots need to stay damp or wet at all times?

Yes! Roots on bare root trees must not dry out. They may be slightly dry when they arrive in the box and this is okay! Just sprinkle water on the roots and cover up with moistened packing material. If trees cannot be planted immediately on arrival, they need to be checked for dryness every few days. They cannot be placed in standing water, except at the time of planting when it’s totally fine to place roots in a bucket of water for up to 2 hours.

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Trees: Disease Resistance

Which varieties are fire blight resistant? Disease resistant?

Great news! All of Fruition’s organic trees are resistant to fireblight and scab. Many have other disease resistances, as well. Purdue’s chart of some of the most popular varieties and their resistance to some of the more common pathogens can be helpful.

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About Bare Root Trees & Fruition’s Offerings

How is storing a bare root tree different from a potted tree before it gets planted?

It’s almost the opposite. Unlike a potted tree, a bare root tree needs to be stored where it is dark until planting, like a basement, shed, or garage. The idea is to keep the tree as dormant as possible, unlike a potted tree which can be left sitting out in the sunshine to leaf out. 

What are the advantages to buying a bare root tree over a potted tree?

Bare root trees tend to be a lot cheaper than potted trees because there isn’t as much materials involved and the shipping is much lighter. 

Bare root trees don’t go through as much transplant shock when they are planted because they are dormant and have not leafed out. It is stressful for trees to be planted in summer, when the sun is hot and they have foliage. Best to avoid this scenario if possible and only plant in spring and fall. 

With a bare root tree, poor or underdeveloped root systems can’t be hidden in potting soil and there is a much better chance of receiving a good quality tree. Reputable bare root nurseries will grade out trees that don’t have strong and robust root systems.

How big are Fruition’s trees?

Approximate tree size will be listed in each tree’s product description.

How many years will it be until my apples begin to bear fruit?

If planting semi-dwarf apples that are one year old, they will probably begin fruiting by their 3rd year but you might get lucky and see a few apples in year two. Usually one can expect a bushel of fruit by the 4th year with semi-dwarf trees on G935 and G202 that have not been pruned to be freestanding.

Where can I get info on the differences between the Geneva Rootstocks?

• Cornell’s Comparison Chart of Geneva Rootstocks

• Purdue’s Research on Geneva Rootstocks

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Trees: Site Specific Questions

First and foremost, we made you some tools to help with planning, planting & taking care of your trees! Hop into our

5 Keys for Establishing an Organic Orchard + 5 Common Mistakes to Avoid

6 Core Questions for Orchard Planning

10 Steps for Planting an Apple Tree

Soil Testing for Trees & Orchards

If my spot is a little shady will it be okay to plant an apple tree?

Apple trees thrive in full sun. They can be planted where there is shade but depending on how much, it can drastically limit fruit production and contribute to fungal issues.

If I don’t have a deer fence, can I still plant a fruit or nut tree?

Yes! But the tree will need to somehow be protected with metal or plastic caging, staked in a ring around the tree to keep down browsing.

Do I need to plant two varieties for pollination?

All varieties will have pollination requirement info listed in the description. For apples, there should be another apple somewhere within 100 feet. It can be a wild apple, an ornamental crabapple, or another variety. Any apple will do, it just can’t be the same variety. 

Can I mulch my tree with straw?

Great question! It is better to avoid straw or mulch hay around trees. These types of mulch attract rodents whereas wood chip mulch can help deter them.

What needs to be considered before planting an orchard?

Before another moment passes, check out our blog sharing 5 Keys to Establishing and Orchard and Mistakes to Avoid!

Where can I get info about soil testing and soil health for orchards?

First, hop into Fruition’s blogs on Soil Testing for Trees for all the details! Also, Washington State University has excellent research on soil health as well as a list of soil testing labs for sending samples.

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Planting & Staking Your Trees 

Will the trees I’m getting from Fruition need to be staked?

Staking requirements will be listed in each product description.

What is the best way to stake semi-dwarf trees?

We recommend a 10’ piece of metal conduit which can be purchased at most hardware or building supply stores. Strong wooden posts can also be used. They can also be trellised.

If my tree is grafted, where is the graft line?

The graft line is located near the bottom of the trunk, usually a few inches up from where the roots stop. It is usually evident because the variety is a different color from the rootstock and there is often a visible line where they were cut and attached to each other. 

Do I need to prune my tree when I plant it?

Good question! Freestanding trees are usually given a heading cut on the central leader to promote branching when planted. This heading cut delays fruit production so the advantage to staking is that trees will produce fruit sooner if they are not pruned. Apples on G202 and G935, should not get the terminal bud removed if possible. Allow the leader to grow up the length of the stake. And avoid pruning anything besides a snapped branch or root at the time of planting. Semi-dwarf trees will perform better with less pruning.

What spacing do the trees need?

Trees typically are spaced 12 to 15 feet from other trees, fences, buildings, walkways or roads. They can also be planted in higher densities, as is the case with many commercial orchards, and spaced as close 4 to 5 feet apart.

What can be used to permanently label the tree?

Some of the best tags are embossed metal and are indented with a ballpoint pen. They never fade, unlike black markers which will fade very quickly and shouldn’t be used for tree tags. 

The other popular option is to reuse vinyl siding that would otherwise be getting thrown in the dump. When written on in pencil, it hardly ever fades. 

Always good to create an orchard map for backup in case the tags blow off in the wind.

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Common Questions about Apples:

How do I plant a tree?

Hop on over to our 10 Steps for Planting a Tree blog, my Friend!

Does an apple tree require a pollinator tree to fruit?

Yes! Apples need another variety to fruit because they are self-unfruitful. It’s true, apples of the same variety will not pollinate each other, nor will one apple tree all by itself with no others in sight. While trees within 500 feet will pollinate each other to some extent, we recommend having a second variety somewhere within 100 feet. It could also be a crabapple, wild seedling, or a different species of Malus. The only apples that have sterile pollen and cannot be planted as pollinators are those that are triploids, having a third chromosome rather than just two.

What is the most likely way a young apple tree will die in the first few years?

A roundheaded apple borer, one of the worst pests in the orchard and leading causes of death in trees that are only a few years old. Tree trunks must be checked regularly for evidence of borer. If a borer is found, they need to be dug out with a knife or blasted with compressed air, immediately. They will kill the tree if left alone. Here’s some good sites for info, images of what they look like, and some organic solutions. Learn more here from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension.

If I plant the seed of an apple variety, like Goldrush, will I get another Goldrush?

No. Like people, trees have two parents. Each seed has been pollinated by a different variety other than the parent tree. Each seed is genetically unique. There are a few varieties, like Duchess of Oldenburg and others, which are known for having seed that will be relatively “true to type” to the parent, but even these will have subtle differences between each seed in a fruit.

What is the best way to propagate a new apple tree?

Apples must be grafted onto a rootstock and clonally propagated in order to create a new tree of a specific variety. For example, all Fuji came from the same parent tree. Besides the original parent tree, there are no other Fuji’s out there that have been started by seed!

Is grafting hard?

No. Apples are fairly easy to graft in comparison to stone fruits and pears. Anyone can learn and it’s really fun. It requires a sharp knife and so proper precautions need to be taken to not hurt oneself while doing it. Not recommended for children. Look for classes through cooperative extensions and universities.

What are club varieties and why can’t I grow those types of apples?

Fruition doesn’t offer any club varieties! They are restricted to only a select number growers for production and sale of fruit. Here’s an excellent NPR article explaining club varieties that everyone is talking about, and who is in the club.

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