Planting Fruit Trees:

Te Ao Hou, July 1955, Page 45

Planting Fruit Trees: Trees should be ordered early in the year. The late placing of orders may result in disappointment through the non-fulfilment of the order. Strong well branched two year old trees will prove the most satisfactory. When trees are received from the nursery they should be unpacked with-out delay and heeled in in a damp shady position to await planting in their permanent position. Take care that the roots are well covered with earth. Apples, peaches, plums and apricots should be spaced from 12 to 18 feet apart. Holes should be dug if possible sometime before planting commences and a good dusting of bonedust applied; about 1 lb. per tree would suffice. Be careful to plant the tree at the same depth that it was growing in the nursery, not too deep and not too shallow. This is most important. Usually one can note the colour of the bark which is pale beneath the surface and darker where exposed to the daylight. Always tramp the soil thoroughly after planting so as to consolidate trees and exclude air from the rooting system. A schedule for spraying citrus and tree tomatoes will appear in our next issue.