I just bought a pot-grown apple tree, and while the general advice is to wait until October to plant it, the weather has been really rainy lately. I'm wondering if I could go ahead and plant it now, or if I should be concerned about the potential for an Indian Summer causing some stress to the tree. What do you think?
3 Answers
From my experience, end of summer isn’t the greatest time to plant. You should aim for when the leaves are yellowing, which shows the trees are getting ready for dormancy. It gives them a better chance to settle in before the cold hits.
Since your apple tree is container-grown and considering the recent rains, you might be okay to plant it now. Just make sure you dig a hole that’s deep enough—I've dealt with dry soil a few centimeters down, so check on that. If we get a warm September, be ready to water regularly. I’ve planted in similar conditions before, and it worked out fine for me!
Good point! Just make sure you're able to keep an eye on moisture levels—sounds like it can really make or break your tree.
I would suggest waiting a little longer. The ground is still pretty warm and hard, which isn't ideal for planting. It's usually best to wait until the leaves start changing; that's when it's a safer time to plant trees.
Thanks for the advice! I’ll wait a bit longer then.