- 1). Select a site that receives six to eight hours of sun per day and is near a water source. Choose a location that is free from wind. Apricots and plums thrive in warmer microclimates; plums, apples, pears and quince do well in colder locations.
- 2). Prepare soil. Good drainage is the most important consideration. Compaction is corrected by turning the soil over to a depth of 12 to 18 inches. Do not add compost or soil amendments to soil prior to planting.
- 3). Dig a hole wide and deep enough so fruit tree roots do not bend. Make a mound of soil in the bottom of the hole and tamp it down firmly.
- 4). Place the tree in the hole so the graft union is 1 to 2 inches above the soil line. Center the tree on the mound of soil and gently spread its roots out. The tree will settle a little as the dirt compacts. Fill in the hole with the excavated dirt and tamp it down gently.
- 5). Water thoroughly. Build a 2-inch mounded circle of dirt, 2 feet in diameter, around the tree. This acts as a container for water and mulch.
- 6). Fertilize the fruit tree with two shovels full of mature compost, spread thinly in diameter several inches from the tree base. Mature compost provides slow-release of the 16 nutrients essential for fruit tree health.
- 7). Spread a 2- to 4-inch layer of mulch material inside the circle mound. Mulch keeps soil moist and provides slow-release of nutrients to the growing tree.
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