Transplanting Grafts

[Diesel5610]

Do you guys plant your newly grafted trees in the fall? They are in root maker containers and I didn't really want to keep them in these containers over winter. My plan with this first batch of grafts was to plant them this fall but I wanted to make sure I am correct before I stick them in the ground.

 

[Pete Kuhns]

Last year I was planting trees up to Christmas here in Zone 6A (a little warmer than you). You can plant trees up to ground freeze I am told - trees take it in stride. Get planting!

 

[yoderjac]

Do you guys plant your newly grafted trees in the fall? They are in root maker containers and I didn't really want to keep them in these containers over winter. My plan with this first batch of grafts was to plant them this fall but I wanted to make sure I am correct before I stick them in the ground.

If they were container grown seedlings and not grown in a root pruning container system, I would do two things:

1) Wait for them to go completely dormant before transplanting them.

2) Check for a circling or j-hooking tap root and prune it at planting time.

If you grafted them to clonal rootstock this spring, there is no tap root and they likely did not produce enough roots in one growing season to have a big issue. You can skip 2) above and simply straighten out any lateral roots at planting time.

As long as the ground is not frozen so you can dig, you can plant them. Also, you don't want containers to freeze, do get them in the ground before that happens.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Diesel5610]

Well they are in the ground. They were grafted to clonal rootstock. We will wait until spring and see how they made out. Thanks for the replies.