[Ruth Cross]

   
My fruit trees, raspberries and gooseberries have just arrived!
They are all pretty healthy and the trees have got good root balls
     

But need some help! I can't get to my plot till first thing Saturday, so what should I do with them in the mean time??? :?  :?

[Selkie]

glad they arrived

are they in pots or bare rooted? (or wrapped in something?)

[gobs]

Heel them in.

[Ruth Cross]

roots are wrapped in plastic, haven't opened the plastic up, but it does look as if there is a small amount of soil in there too.

[WG.]

roots are wrapped in plastic, haven't opened the plastic up, but it does look as if there is a small amount of soil in there too.

I'd just trickle a little water onto the root ball and plant them up on Saturday.  If you can't get them all planted, do as gobs suggests and heel them in.

[Ruth Cross]

Not 'heeled in' fruit trees before but am I right in thinking its just temporary planting in pots with soft soil untill I can move them to permenant position? :?

I can definately get them all planted permenantly on saturday, so can I do as WG. says ; just keep the root balls moist till saturday, don't heel them.

What do I do with the raspberry & gooseberry canes, the same as above? I don't think theres any soil with them, in fact a fair bit of the roots are exposed :?  :?

[Ruth Cross]

and store it all in a cool place, protect from frost till saturday??

[DD.]

Just find a bit of spare ground & stick the roots just a couple of inches down. Canes can be left horizontal for a day or two.

Don't worry about frost, none is forecast & they've got to survive all winter anyway.

[Selkie]

i'd sit them in a bucket of water, somewhere sheltered

[DD.]

Organic Gardening - heeling in. Note comments at bottom about keeping in bucket of water!!!!!!!!

Heeling in

[WG.]

I'll stand by my advice above since it is only for 36 hours.  I added heel-in to our very own Glossary.

[penance]

Do not stand them in water, well not if you want healthy trees.

[Selkie]

don't stand in water even it's only for less than 48 hours?

maybe i didn't explain myself very well, i didn't mean immersing them up to their necks in water, just putting several in a bucket with a little water.

[WG.]

don't stand in water even it's only for less than 48 hours?

maybe i didn't explain myself very well, i didn't mean immersing them up to their necks in water, just putting several in a bucket with a little water.

That's what DD's link says & I agree.

[Aunt Sally]

If they are bare rooted I'd put them in water for 12 hours-ish to ensure they are hydrated enough before plating.  but if the weather or time does not cooperate with you then heel them in in a temporary location at home.