Planting Fruits

You'll find fruit trees, berry bushes, and vines sold three different ways, depending on the time of year and where you shop.

Bare-root plants are typically available in late winter or early spring and are purchased while they're dormant and leafless. They're usually the least expensive way to purchase plants because they don't have the cost of soil or containers associated with them.

Click here for more on planting bare-root trees and shrubs.

 

Balled-and-burlapped fruit trees and shrubs, often simply referred to as b-&-b, are available from spring to fall. They feature a rootball that's wrapped in a sheet of burlap or a similar material. Balled-and-burlapped plants are usually the largest specimens your nursery offers.

Click here for more on planting balled-and-burlapped trees and shrubs.

 

Container-grown fruits are most commonly available and easiest to plant. Liked balled-and-burlapped plants, they're available throughout the year. However, they come in a wide range of sizes.

Click here for more on planting container-grown fruits.

No matter which method you use to plant your fruit trees, berry bushes, or vines, water them well after planting. Spread a 2- to 3-inch-deep layer of mulch over the soil around the plant; this helps the soil maintain moisture longer so you have to water less. It also helps to control weed growth.