Davej wrote:
On September 27, 2013, David Hare-Scott wrote:
Davej wrote:
Drew Lawson wrote:
Davej galt... writes:

I have not been having too much luck with planting fruit
trees. I seem to be doing something wrong. I end up with
air pockets around the roots. Any suggestions?

It takes time for soil to settle. Water (as appropriate to your
local seasons), and the soil will settle into any voids.

Is there an actual problem that you are experiencing with your
trees? Or are you just looking for problems while waiting for the
next season comes around? (I've done that more than a few times.)

I've had almost every recently planted tree die and I'm looking for
the reason.

I doubt air pockets are the problem. Any more information? What
trees? What conditions? What climate, soil..............


Various dwarf fruit trees; cherry, plum, apricot. Soil here is gray
clay. Summers in the Midwest US are very dry but I try to water
regularly. Deer are often a problem for the trees but when I notice
damage I try to wrap them in plastic fencing. Of the last four trees
planted only one is still surviving.

Planting fruit trees in clay has the risk of drowning them. You dig a hole
in the clay and fill it with permeable soil/mulch. The problem is that the
clay is not permeable and so forms a pond of water which can kill the roots.
The solution is to not to dig down but to build up.

Deer are a problem. Without knowing how badly they have trimmed your trees
I cannot say what effect that had. Perhaps you could wrap them before the
deer get there instead of afterwards.

You haven't said much about conditions. For example do these trees get any
sun? What do you mean by "water regularly", how do you determine when to
water? Do you have any pictures of the dying?

D