Surely you have from time to time bought fruit trees in the bag. These may seem easy to transport, and also by having a plastic bag over the root ball afterwards, you don’t have to deal with a pot and it’s easier to plant. But do you know how to plant a fruit tree in a bag?
If you are saying right now that there is no mystery to it, the truth is that there is not. There are many details you need to take into account to plant them and also to move forward. What if we told you about it?
Planting a fruit tree in a bag, is it good?
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When buying fruit trees, you can find them in a plastic pot or in a bag. Both can be healthy, but the truth is that in the second case you have to take into account some important aspects.
have the hole ready
We don’t advise you to buy a bagged fruit tree and have it wait a week or two to be planted. It is best to buy them when you already have the spot chosen and you are going to because if you leave it for a long time the roots can end up being damaged and this will harm the health of the tree (to the point that he will not succeed in the end).
To give you an idea, you have to buy it and plant it, if possible within 24 hours (It is not practical at the same time because it will require a minimum of adaptation to the new housing).
Also, if you are going to put it in full sun, it has to be adapted beforehand, and therefore it would be better to plant it in a pot beforehand and give it 14 days to settle down so that it does not get stressed or does the weather. After those days, if you wanted it for the garden, We advise you to wait for the cold to arrive to plant it (or spring).
If you were already there when you bought it, you can skip the repotting step and plant directly.
This hole you need to make should be twice the size of the tree. To give you an idea, if you bought a fruit tree with a root ball of 25 cm in diameter, you must make sure that it is at least 50 cm in diameter, and also 50 cm deep.
You should add some good soil, or manure, to feed it.
remove the plastic bag
The next step you need to perform is to remove the bag. This is important because it is not biodegradable (unless you put it on, of course). Moreover, it will not be good for the plant or the soil.
Be careful because when you take it off the dirt may fall out a bit, so do it somewhere you don’t mind too much.
The normal thing is that once you take it off, a mesh appears. This one is biodegradable and you will see it as a little string. Everyone will tell you to keep it because it will help the rooting of the plant. But we are of the opinion that it is better to prune it a little, especially if it prevents the roots from emerging and developing well.
It’s true that over time this mesh will deteriorate, but if you can cut it a little it’s almost better.
Immerse the clod in water
If you look carefully, and unless you bought it freshly brought in, it is normal for you to find that the root ball is dry. The best is to fill a bucket with water and put in it for at least fifteen minutes. so that the soil and roots are well nourished before planting it in the hole (or in the pot).
Prepare the terrain
While you have the tree in the water, you can prepare the soil you will use to plant it. For that, We recommend it to be 50% universal soil with 50% earthworm or peat humus and, also, that you add extra drainage so that there are no accumulations of water that prevent the plant from breathing or end up drowning it.
Put the fruit tree in the hole
Now yes, just put the fruit tree in the hole (or in the pot) and fill it with the soil you need. Be sure to pack the soil all around with your hands or feet so that there are no air pockets.
water
Finally, it will be time to water. And yes, even when you wet the motte, it is convenient that you water generously at least this first time, then water it frequently for the first few weeks until you see it settle.
Of course, there’s a big difference between watering and flooding, so before you water make sure the top layers of soil are dry enough so nothing happens to your plant.
As you can see, planting a fruit tree in a bag is not difficult at all. But it’s handy that you consider removing the bag as well as wetting the root ball before planting it.
Want more advice? Pay attention to the following points:
- Try to plant them at the right time. If you want to be successful, it is better to adapt to the exact time when these fruit trees should be planted. If you do it out of season, the possibilities, unless you are an expert, will be reduced.
- Before planting, check the root ball carefully. Many times, especially if you buy them from supermarkets or stores where they carry a large amount, you may find that they get sick. If you treat the root ball before planting (for example with a broad-spectrum product) you could prevent this disease or pest from spreading to other plants, or even damaging what you have purchased).
- During the first few weeks, your fruit tree may look more downcast or even lose leaves. If after this time it stays the same and it doesn’t seem to slow down can tell you something is wrong with the plant.
Now you know how to plant a fruit tree in a bag. Have you done it already? Can you leave us some tips that have been useful for you to do it and for the plant to move forward?