Tree Planting

A few days ago I succumbed to buying three fruit trees from a well known budget supermarket. I rarely buy plants, preferring to beg borrow or steal cuttings/seeds/seedlings from friends and acquaintances. However this time I was tempted. I've always had a dream of having my own garden and promised myself I'd plant lots of fruit trees. I wouldn't normally recommend anyone to buy these budget plants, they often aren't worth the money. Only time will tell if these ones prove to be worth buying. If you're going to buy budget plants you'll have to spend quite a bit of time nurturing them. These trees are cheap for 3 reasons that I can see (and possibly some others I can't see)
One, they aren't very straight which is not really a big deal.
Two it's a bit late in the planting season, they are about to leaf out and won't have a lot of time to get their new roots established before the leaves start needing lots of moisture
and Three, they have very little root. Now, this IS  a big deal. In general a plant can have seriously scruffy/damaged top growth and still do well. A plant with damaged or little root system will struggle.

So, I planted them really well and carefully and I will have to water them really well all summer because they will take that long to establish even a half decent root system.

First I dug a big, deep hole and loosened the soil in the bottom of the hole with a fork

I then put the chopped up turves back in the bottom and sides of the hole. Turf is rich in nutrients and organic matter and will help to retain moisture and provide nutrients, both essential on our poor, freely drained soil.

Here is the pathetic root system that will need constant watering during any dry spells this summer. I will also keep the area around the tree weed free to avoid any competition from other plants and probably mulch it with some organic matter as well.

Tree planted and staked. Short stakes are thought to be best these days. The stem is perfectly able to hold itself up, the stake is simply there to stop the roots from rocking. If the tree had been pot grown or had a well established root system and had been in a sheltered spot it wouldn't even need a stake really. I've also left the soil level a little below the lawn which will make it easier to keep weed free and make sure that when it's watered the water will all stay where it's needed.

You can see the bend in the tree in this shot. I've planted it with the bend towards the prevailing wind, hoping that this will help it to straighten up. One of the others is even more bent, I might give it a cane to encourage it to grow a bit straighter for the first summer.

I've also taken the label off and will write down in my 'book of the garden' what the varieties are, and if I get round to it I'll make a more permanent punched metal label for it. These plastic labels don't last long.