What Should I Do?

[Nyboy]

I had ordered 4 bare rooted apple trees for fall planting. I wanted to experiment and see what was better fall or spring planting. I forgot all about the trees. Today in my email was a tracking number, the trees where in the mail. I assumed when I placed order they would be here end of Sept begining Oct. It was 18 degrees this morning ground is frozen. Was told when I placed order fall barerooted trees had no warranty. Not sure if I should pot up and put in unheated shed, or have holes dug in frozen ground and hope for the best.

 

[baymule]

I am of absolutely no use on this one, our ground doesn't freeze. Heck, practically NOTHING freezes. Hmmmm......no warranty? You got nothun' to lose-plant 2 and pot 2, then at least you know for future reference.

 

[goatgurl]

my guess is that even though it is 18 degrees this morning and the ground is frozen it isn't frozen very deep. I'd go ahead and plant them, water them in good and pray for the best. or try baymule's suggestion and do 2 and 2.

 

[Nyboy]

Bay can be frozen 4 months a year !!!

 

[Smart Red]

@Nyboy, if you ordered them from a reputable source, you can and should still get them into the ground. Dig a trench about two to three feet to heel them in and cover the trench with another half inch of (store bought) soil and lots of mulch. Come spring, they can be set into their forever home.

I am the queen of procrastination when it comes to forever homes. Most of my tree stock goes into a 'nursery' while I decide where I want them to go now that I have them. Planning ahead? Yes, that's what some people do. Not folks like us though.

I suspect this cold weather took the mail order industry by surprise as well. The trees should have been sent at the proper time for planting and that would be right about now. I've never heard that fall bare root trees were not under warrantee and can't imagine why no. Fall is the ideal time to plant trees.

Oops! Before you heel the new trees into the trench, let them soak in a bucket of water for about half a day -- no more that two days -- to get the roots well watered. Keep the trees watered as long as the ground isn't frozen. Warmer temperatures are headed your way. I'll be sending them from south-est, central-est Wisconsin early this coming week.

 

[Ridgerunner]

How deeply is the ground frozen? Is it frozen down to where the roots would be?

I might try to get in touch with an expert for your area. Maybe someone at a local nursery, a master gardener, or the horticultural department at your state land grant university. Maybe someone on the forum has specific knowledge, like ,maybe Red. (I've heeled trees in that way too Red. It works, especially when you have over 50 to plant and they all arrive at one time.)

What is your danger? The roots might dry out. You want to avoid that. The roots might freeze. Not sure how much harm that might actually do. I think drying out is the real danger. I suspect your frost line is below where a lot of your permanent tree roots are anyway. Some places with a lot of trees the ground normally freezes a few feet deep. A lot of tree roots are near the surface. The only thing I'd really worry about is the roots drying out.

Since it is only four trees, I think I'd dig a hole and get plenty of unfrozen dirt. Then plant the tree with that unfrozen dirt packed around the roots. Water it really well, then mulch it well. Leave a little area around the trunk open so mice don't nest in there and chew on the bark. Keep watering it until the ground is frozen. Next year, don't let them dry out.

 

[Smart Red]

All the experts agree that fall is THE time to plant trees -- potted or bare root. I always prefer to plant in the spring because that is when I am most out in the orchard/gardens anyway and I never forget to keep new stock well watered. I guess I'm figuring most of the experts are living in warmer climates where fall runs well into the new year.

I must admit that I am not as persistent at carrying water to fall planted stock even though most of the time it does just as well as spring planted trees do, because fall is normally a wet season and once the ground is frozen, watering is not needed.

As @Ridgerunner suggests, freezing is not a problem for newly planted trees. Their planting hole would seldom be more than four feet deep -- usually less when you buy the babies I purchase -- so even properly planted trees will be freezing their toes the first year. Nope, it is drying out that gets 'em.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I always plant trees in the fall/winter. I don't have time in the spring, Red. I know our seasons are quite a bit different, but in late February or early March I'm putting in my cool weather stuff. It's more a case of catching it when it is dry enough to work, not when it is warm enough. Then I soon get in a time when I'm mulching, weeding, preparing the soil for my warm weather stuff in April or May, and hopefully harvesting, eating, and and preserving some of the early stuff. Springtime gets real busy around here. It's normally really wet too, up until late April or often well into May.

 

[Smart Red]

@Ridgerunner is an expert. Goes to prove my point that experts live in the south.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Definition of an expert. Someone from out of town!