[3759allen]

i was planning to put some fruit tree's in at the end of this season but got a bit carried away in a sale and brought them over Christmas. trouble is i couldn't see me getting the ground ready until autumn at the earliest, so i planted them in large pots (buckets with drainage holes) for now until i was ready.

however i've now made good head way getting the ground ready, if the weather holds out i should have it done by the end of the weekend.

so the question is do i plant them as soon as the ground's ready or leave them in the pots until autumn?

i have mulch that i can put around them now, but no manure ready yet. by autumn i should have manure to add to the planting holes as well as the mulch.

i was also thinking that if they were grown in pots til the end of the season they should develop a better root ball. but i know nothing and is only a theory really.

thanks for any advice.

[surbie100]

My wee fruit bible (Harry Baker) says, as long as the ground isn't waterlogged, get them in now before they break their dormancy.

[Mum2mj]

I agree get them in as soon as you can. I've got a pear & cherry in pots I need to get moving with!

[Ma Lowe]

I agree with the others. We planted our 3 fruit trees yesterday as the ground was good. 

[3759allen]

well 3 out of 3 is good enough for me.

i better pull my finger out finish the ground off.

i take it that it won't matter too much if there's quite a high stone content in the ground? i've been picking the bigger stones out as i go but really don't want to be sieving the whole lot if i can help it.

thanks for the replies.