Fruit (Generally Speaking) - When to plant my orchard?

[millwright]

Looking for opinions on when to plant. The problem I am having is this.On March 12th I will be leaving the country for 3 to 5 months. I am doing a job in DUBAI of all places. I would very much like to get the trees planted before I leave.

I plan on putting in 8 trees. 2 apple, 2 peach ,2 plum ,2 pear . I live in Northern KY which is Zone 6. Thoughts or opinions?

I could purchase the trees and leave them in the pots, and hope that my wife can handle the responsibility of keeping them alive until I return. A difficult task considering she works,we have two kids a dog and over three acres of land.Another option would be to wait until I return to purchase the trees , but I have read that the summer might not be the best time for planting fruit trees. I also feel very strongly that time is running out for us in general . The economy is in a death spiral . Will there be any trees left later in the year?

My plan is to purchase relatively mature trees from a reputable online source (Cliftons Flower & Garden) and plant them right before I leave. Im just a little unsure of the timing. Even though Winter will be winding down, things can still get ugly here in March or even April.

[bee_pipes]

I was told Autumn and Spring were the times to plant fruit trees. We have planted in both seasons, and I have had better results with Autumn plantings. If you plant in Autumn, be sure not to dose the tree with nitrogen - you don't want new growth getting nipped by the onset of winter. Sounded not quite right to me - you would think Spring. My guess is the cooler temps slow down tree growth and it has time to get established. I know (from experience) that spring planting requires a heavy commitment to watering - they can be lost in the first summer if it is hot and you can't keep them watered.

We have done both, and I will plant in Autumn from now on because of the superior results we received. If you want to go this way, have them delivered after you return.

Keep your head down in Dubai.

Regards,
Pat

[cowboy38229]

Most nurseries won't send out trees till time for spring planting based on your planting zone.I'm in zone 6 in north west TN. and I usually get mine in April,but if you can get trees in February they are in their dormant stage and can be planted as soon as the ground is thawed and they will bud out and grow as soon as the temp is right. Just remember to dig a big wide hole and water it in good. The new roots spread out better in ground that is loose than ground that is hard and undisturbed

[Toepopper]

If you get what the nurseries call "bare root" trees you are supposed to plant them in late fall. Right about now the new roots will begin to appear and start to take hold in the ground. These are smaller trees that come in a 5 gallon plastic container and they stand 6 to 10 feet tall. You will have fruit the second year. That is what my fruit trees did. Smaller trees are easier to transport to remote areas and much easier to transplant them once you get them to your site. I water them twice a week.