I am expecting my Antonovka tree on B9 to arrive today. Right now it is about 58F outside and raining, but it is expected to drop down to 23 by the morning and next week will be cold and wet with nights around 25-30F and days around 40 and possible snow. Should I plant it right away when it arrives or should I try to keep it somehow(how?) and plant next week?
I would wait and plant it next week. I have the same situation here with the weather.
How do you keep it for a week? Put roots in apot and cover with moist pot mix and keep in garage?
I already planted my trees. Lows mostly right around freezing. One day next week forecasted to drop down to 25. I hope they will be fine.
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Yeah, put roots in a bucket or pot, covered with moistened high porosity potting mix, sawdust, bark chips or shredded newspapers. keep shaded in the garage.
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Galina
Upon arrival, I’d open the box to see everything was in a good condition esp. roots were moist. Then, I’d put it back in the box, closed and taped the box. Leave the box in an unfinished basement (temp does not go below freezing).
I’ve kept my like that for a few weeks a few times. No issue.
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It depending on how dormant the trees are. If they have a lot of green (not good for bare root anyways), I’d protect them. If dormant, I’d just plant them right away. It’s the roots you want to protect, so I think the sooner you can get it in the ground, the better.
I’ve been planting bare roots for more than a month already (around 2/21). The only one I was at all concerned about is a peach which was starting to push flowers (not yet opened). But, I’m not really worried- it may kill the flowers, but I probably shouldn’t let a newly planted peach fruit anyway. 2/21 was a bit earlier than normal for me, but each year I plant some trees in March and it will always go below freezing at some point afterwards.
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Exactly like Bob says, if the trees are dormant, plant right away. I am planting the whole winter if weather permits (ground is not frozen). Never had any issues
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I just planted it. It had pretty good roots, like 2 layers of them, so bottom one is pretty deep. Mulched with 6 inches of woodchips as well.
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Good advice.
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This I do when I ran out of time and have to postpone it next week. When the weather isn’t good for planting, such as during the rain and I don’t want to get all wet and muddy, I’d wait. Otherwise, if it is a good day to plant and the ground is firm and isn’t soaking wet and mushy, I’d plant right away.
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If totally dormant I can’t see why planting now will be a problem.
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It wouldn’t, I planted bare root trees with a month to go of freezing weather, and they were not completely dormant, had a few flowers. The buds died, but the tree leafed out fine when it was time. I talked to the extension service at MSU and they said to plant it. They pretty much said if ground is workable plant. i agree a little dangerous if coming out of dormancy, but not a fatal mistake. I still have the trees and they are great producers every year. 6th or 7th leaf now.
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