Bare-root fruit trees go on sale from October, lifted straight from the nursery field while dormant, and cost less than the same tree sold potted. They shouldn't go into the ground until the leaves have dropped and the tree is properly dormant, usually from November through to March, and the roots must not be allowed to dry out between lifting and planting. Get the hole, depth and staking right and a bare-root tree often catches up with a potted one planted the same year, because its roots were never confined to a pot.

Plant a Bare-Root Fruit Tree This Autumn

What you need

1 bare-root fruit tree lifted and dormant, roots kept damp since buying
1 tree stake round, about 1.2m, pointed end
1 adjustable tree tie rubber or buckled webbing
1 barrow load mulch or garden compost bark chip or well-rotted compost
1 bucket of water for soaking the roots

Step by step

Trim back any roots that are damaged, broken or crossing, using secateurs, then stand the roots in the bucket of water for an hour while you dig.
10 min
Measure the spread of the roots, and dig a hole twice that width and as deep as the roots reach, forking over the base and sides to break up compacted soil.
25 min
Drive the stake into the base of the hole, angled slightly into the prevailing wind, until a third of its length is below ground.
10 min
Lower the tree into the hole next to the stake and spread the roots out evenly, laying a cane across the hole to check the soil mark on the stem sits level with the surrounding ground.
10 min
Backfill in stages, firming the soil gently with your heel as you go, and hold a spirit level against the trunk to keep it standing plumb.
15 min
Fit the tree tie around the trunk and stake low down, loose enough to let the tree flex in the wind.
5 min
Water in with two full cans, then barrow in a 5cm mulch around the base, keeping it clear of the trunk.
10 min

Afterwards

Check the tie every few months and loosen it as the trunk thickens, so it doesn't cut into the bark. Water weekly through the tree's first dry spell and the following summer if rain is scarce. Firm the soil back around the base if autumn gales rock it loose. Remove the stake and tie after the first one to two years, once the tree is rooted in.

Questions

Can I plant it as soon as I buy it in October?

Only if it's already leafless and dormant. If it still has leaves, heel it into a spare bit of ground or a large pot of compost and wait until they've dropped, usually by November.

What if I can't plant it within a day or two of buying it?

Keep the roots wrapped and damp, or heel the whole tree into a temporary trench in a shady spot, and plant it properly within a few weeks.

Do I need to stake it?

Yes, for the first one to two years in most gardens, especially anywhere open or exposed to wind, until the roots have anchored it.

How deep should it go?

To the same depth it was growing at the nursery. You'll see a darker soil mark on the stem showing where ground level used to be.

Is mycorrhizal fungi worth adding?

It can help a tree establish in poor or previously cultivated soil, but it's not essential if your soil is reasonable and you water well through the first year.