The Worst Thing You Can Do When Planting Fruit Trees, According To Our Master Gardener

Digging a nice, deep hole for a young tree seems like a great idea for holding the tree in place and providing lots of soil nutrients, doesn't it? Surprisingly, this is not the case. House Digest's Garden Editor and in-house Master Gardener, Tiffany Selvey, let us know that this is one of the biggest mistakes anyone can make when planting a tree, especially a fruit tree. 

During her exclusive interview with House Digest, Selvey explained, "Most fruit trees that you buy at the store, like citrus, apples, and pears, are grafted. This means one species of fruit tree has been attached to the root stock of another. The tree variety –- Meyer lemon, Fuji apple, etc. –- is selected for its flavor and production while the root stock is chosen for its hardiness. This is why seeds saved from these kinds of trees do not produce fruit true to the fruit from which they were saved; they're actually two trees."

Because of this, burying your fruit tree above the graft on the trunk causes a handful of problems. Selvey warned us about the consequences of planting a fruit tree too deep, explaining, "You will likely get new trunks sprouting from the rootstock, which is not from a flavorful tree. This can result in ongoing necessary pruning for the life of the tree and unpredictable fruit production." Thankfully, Selvey also shared some invaluable tips for fruit tree planting that will help you make the most of your yard's new leafy addition.

As we chatted with Tiffany Selvey during her exclusive interview with House Digest, we asked her about the ideal hole width and depth for planting fruit trees. She shared that there are a few factors to consider. "The depth a fruit tree should be planted depends on the age of the tree and how large its existing root system is," said Selvey. When it doubt, look closely at the young tree's trunk for a soil ring around the base. Selvey informed us, "The [hole's] depth should be such that the existing soil line on the trunk above the root system is even with the ground where it is being planted." 

As for the hole's width, Selvey recommends taking a close look at the root ball. "While there are no exact measurements that cover all trees," she states, "The rule of thumb is the hole should be twice as wide as the existing root ball to give it room to spread." You can also give your tree a healthy kickstart by planting it in a shallower but wider, saucer-shaped hole that can provide trees with an oxygen boost.

If all of these warnings make you want to reconsider planting that fruit tree, don't fret. In her exclusive interview with House Digest, Tiffany Selvey gave us an easy pointer for locating the tree's graft so that you can avoid covering it during planting. "When you look closely at the base of the trunk of your new fruit tree, you can see the graft. It's usually thicker than the rest of the trunk and may look a little knobby. The graft is usually around 6 inches or so above the root system." When you're prepping your soil before planting a tree, be sure to identify this spot before placing your tree in the hole.

Our gardening expert reassured us that as long as you leave the graft uncovered by soil, the tree has the best chances of producing nice fruit. Yet, the graft can sometimes be a little hard to find or even confused with part of the root system. If you're still concerned, Selvey reassures readers, "If you plant your tree in the ground with the soil lines even, you won't have a problem."