Fall Fruit Tree Planting?

[Tree Spud]

Hey Guys, I have been looking for spring Kerr Crab apple stock for past couple of years with no luck. I have found some but nursery will only ship for October planting. These are bare root, 4'-5' trees.

I am in central Wisconsin zone 4b. Could I purchase and plant these yet this fall?

Let me know possibility and anything I need to consider. Thanks!

 

[H20fwler]

I have fall planted here the first week of December with hard frost in the first 4-5" of dirt and the trees did fine and turned out as good as any others. Just make extra sure you don't have any air pockets at all and cover with a little compost or mulch if voles/mice aren't to bad in your area, if they are mound your dirt up a little higher than you normally would it will settle out by spring..

 

[mikmaze]

if you want to have thawed ground to plant in, put a bale of hay on the spot you wish to plant, it wont freeze under there for a good long while, great insulation.

 

[Charman03]

I feel your pain, was really hoping for a Kerr to plant next spring. They are hard to find. I saw the fall ones you’re referring to

 

[g squared 23]

It's interesting how hard to find Kerrs can be considering it's supposed to be such a great crab. Is it all that great?


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[sandbur]

It's interesting how hard to find Kerrs can be considering it's supposed to be such a great crab. Is it all that great?


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Last year they hung on the tree well into winter. This year they all went into cider and applesauce.

I hope that it becomes a bigger tree on B118 for wildlife.


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[4wanderingeyes]

i have planted trees in the fall, half made it after 2 years. But they were also Menards season closeout specials, so take that for what its worth.

 

[Tree Spud]

Well, I ordered several and should receive this month so I will be able to get them in the ground before it freezes.

 

[Catscratch]

I've planted trees in the fall several times with good success but you have to treat them like a spring planting and water them. Where I live we have dry winters so there isn't much snow to deal with and the subsoil truly gets dry. Keeping them watered during this time is important but often overlooked or ignored.

 

[Tree Spud]

if you want to have thawed ground to plant in, put a bale of hay on the spot you wish to plant, it wont freeze under there for a good long while, great insulation.

I've planted trees in the fall several times with good success but you have to treat them like a spring planting and water them. Where I live we have dry winters so there isn't much snow to deal with and the subsoil truly gets dry. Keeping them watered during this time is important but often overlooked or ignored.

Good point on the watering. The good thing is that we are not having a dry year this year. Rainfall last 2.5 month's has been 3 times average.

I might also try mikmaze's suggestion of putting down around the tree. could help with getting the roots established.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Where did you find Kerr's for sale for fall planting? I don't really NEED one, but there's always room for one more tree. That seems to be a difficult tree to find for some reason and I'd rather have one in the fall than none in the spring if I can't find a spring source.