Shelter trees, deciduous fruit trees and feijoas a go! – it’s time to get planting.
Apart from citrus and subtropicals that is. It makes no sense to put their heat loving feet into freezing ground. If you live somewhere frost free and mild (eg: the winter-less north) then do it, for the rest of us, its savvy not to. Buy them now while good specimens abound, and tuck them away on the porch until the frosts fade and soil temps climb above 10 degrees again. October’s usually a safe bet at my place.
Before you plant your trees, be sure of the best spot and appropriate spacings.
Remove that flimsy bamboo stake and the green tape that holds it there – these are pot support, not part of your permanent planting plan. Left on, that green tape will grow into the bark and interrupt the precious flow of nutrient.
For best root development and the end goal of an independent, resilient tree – your tree needs to move about a bit in the wind, especially important if it’s windy at yours. A bit of movement stimulates root development. More roots = a stronger tree with the ability to source a wide range of nutrient and support. More roots gives it the best shot at being drought proof, wind proof and heavy crop proof.
Drive a robust stake into the ground about 20cm away from the trunk on the windward side. Affix the tree to the stake with soft stocking tie – firmly, not rigidly.
If your tree is a whip (a single shoot), cut it at hip height or about 1m, above a bud. Gasp! I know you’ll find this hard, but this easy, simple cut is what is going to have your tree be reachable, compact and full of fruit in a small space. So go on – be brave. If your tree is close to this height already – just leave it be.
If it is a feathered whip, with branches – you can keep well placed feathers (branches) and remove the rest. Trim the long ones to match the length of the others and stop there and see how it feels. If there is only one well placed feather, you can remove it and begin again next season. In that way the new ones that grow will all be of the same age and have good balance.
The thing that scares you is that this is the end. No my friends – its the beginning. Of good things. The first scaffold of branches and the leader will spring from this point for a nice low centre of gravity. Trust me here.