rich985

This spring when I planted my fruit trees and had no clue about gardening, I planted them a little too deep, like 1 foot too deep. The idea was to hold water in the basin, but I later figured out I would have to fill it when the tree becomes mature, and that the base of the tree would be way underground and may rot. When I figured this out, I removed most of the topsoil to reveal the rest of the tree trunk, and it has been growing great ever since. The trees have grown several feet until now, but I'm still concerned about the large hole surrounding the tree.

So my question is, in the fall when the trees become dormant, could I dig up the trees and raise them to ground level? Would this cause too much shock for the second season? Maybe cause them to not fruit, or will they recover over the winter and perform better? Most of the trees are about 6 feet tall, a few are 8 feet.

Any help would be great.

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TommyMacLuckie

Yes.

You don't have to but it would be good to wait until it cools down considerably, below 56 degrees or so, to dig them up. Dig where you filled the hole to or 6 inches out. Dig it up - and be sure to dig the entire thing - under it and of course all the way around - and when you plant it plant it at or slightly above the grade. It's OK if it's a little high - you just don't want it low. And throw a little bit of time release fertilzer in the hole before you plant them.

Make sure you water it. You might need to lightly prune it too, for example, any water suckers coming off the main stalk or branches that have thin dangling canes. If you were to dig it up while it's hot out, which you can, root prune it first by taking a sharp shooter and cutting a circle around the tree and then dig it up in a couple of weeks. And if you do dig them up while it's hot out you'll want to fill the hole it is going in with water before you put it in and fill in.

If it or they are citrus do not mulch on the root ball but instead mulch around the root ball.

Bob

Don't sweat it, like Tommy mentioned wait till fall then dig thoroughly to get as much root system as possible and replant. Figure they are going to "sink an inch or two and allow for that. Treat like a new planting and be sure to keep adequately watered the first year, newly planted fruit trees seem to survive on water for this much time.

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sbl

Even if you do not move it until winter, Tommy's suggestiom of root pruning is a good one. I would do it about a month before you think you will get frost.

What that does is force the tree to grow new roots within the part that will be moved.

rich985

Thanks a bunch for your help guys. I'll make sure I take good care in the digging and make sure it's ground level or a little higher.

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