The transplanting of fruit trees is a more time consuming operation, particularly if budded or grafted trees are being transplanted from containers or nursery beds to the field or orchard.
After marking out the area with pegs to ensure that the trees will be spaced at the correct planting distances, holes up to 80 x 80 x 80 cm deep should be prepared, depending on the size of the root system of the tree to be transplanted.
Large planting holes are essential, even for fairly small trees, so that the roots can develop rapidly and eveniy. The extra time and effort given to preparing large holes will be repaid by the rapid
After marking out the area with pegs to ensure that the trees will be spaced at the correct planting distances, holes up to 80 x 80 x 80 cm deep should be prepared, depending on the size of the root system of the tree to be transplanted.
Large planting holes are essential, even for fairly small trees, so that the roots can develop rapidly and eveniy. The extra time and effort given to preparing large holes will be repaid by the rapid
All the soil should be excavated to the required depth, the topsoil being placed on one side of the hole and the subsoil on the other. The bottom of the hole should be loosened with a digging fork or forked hoe and any stones removed.
A layer of compost or fym should be placed at the bottom of the hole to assist in retaining water and the topsoil, preferably mixed with more compost or manure and up to 100 g of NPK fertiliser, is returned to the hole. After every few headpans or spadefuls of soil have been poured into the planting hole, the surface should be well firmed by treading, until the space left in the hole is just large enough for the roots of the plant to be transplanted to spread out evenly, with the base of the stem at the same soil level as it had been in the nursery or container. The refilling and firming operation is then continued until the planting hole is filled.
A small depression should be left around the base of the plant to allow for water to penetrate into the soil immediately around the root zone. Mulch can also be applied around the base of the tree and plants which are liable to be affected by strong sun should be shaded by erecting a thatch of grass or leaves over them, supported by canes or sticks. Trees which have an extensive branch system may be pruned back after they have been transplanted to reduce the leaf area and so limit excessive transpiration until new leaves have been formed.