I have a jujube and a sour cherry tree that I’d like to move. (Both were planted as bare roots 2020 and 2021). Is now (fall) or spring a better time to transplant? The jujube has dropped its leaves already, but the cherry still has leaves with fall color.
Internet majority says when they’re fully dormant is best and the nurseries aren’t sending out bare roots until January for the warmer zones.
So i would say late winter, early spring?
I would say it depends where you live. I live in the PNW where my winter weather never stays below freezing for very long. It is Nov 10 and I have yet to see any frost at night. I may not see frost until Dec if I’m lucky.
In my mild climate planting in Nov or Dec is the best time, as long as the tree has dropped its leaves. Planting at this time of year in my climate gives the tree the best chance for survival IMO. This gives the root system far more time to establish itself before drought or heat stress is a possibility.
If you live in an area where your winters start early and the temps are frigid, then spring planting is probably better for you.
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Here is a for instance-
I just received last week 10 apple trees and 3 pear trees.
Those trees were dug, roots trimmed, tops trimmed and branches trimmed. Bagged and wet newspapers in a UPS truck for 3 days.
I put them in a cool place and planted them this weekend.
I have no doubt those trees will live beyond me…
Only a small percentage of nurseries ship to me in the Fall… Most all of my trees are from nurseries that have policies of when i should plant trees due to my cold growing zone… they would rather dig them and put them in coolers for many months than to have me plant them myself. Strange but true.
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Agree, most probably zone 7 does not have deep ground freezing, you can check your frost zone online, if you find the majority of roots are not planted below the frost line, simply mulch the tree with a foot of leaf or woodchip mulch which should be removed from the first 3” around the trunk before springtime when freezing danger passes, within that 3” zone allow only about an inch of mulch thereafter. Carry and keep the mulch layer out to drip line. The mulch will insulate the tree roots by helping to hold in the ground temps in the vadose zone pretty close to mid 50’s most of winter. As noted by others the natural wet winter will help consolidate soil particles around your roots making them ready for strong springtime growth. If your area does not get a lot of rainfall, just water them in good!
Dennis
Kent, wa
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