Seedlings Are Older Trees

[southernmom3]

My husband and I will be planting fruit trees this year.
We have found some seedlings for trees starting at 3.95 each.

The older trees are higher, some start at 12.00 and go up from there.

What would you suggest planting?
We want to save money, but also don't want to loose a bunch of trees!

How to you start your fruit trees?

 

[firelily99]

It depends on how patient that you are. The smaller trees will take longer to mature and will require more watering and maintenance although they will be easier to plant. The older ones are more mature so they don't require as much care once they are rooted but the cost is higher. I would go for the more mature trees; the cost is greater and they require more work to plant but they will have a head start in terms of growth.

 

[gata montes]

Although there is a little more upkeep at the beginning with pruning and training - I prefer to plant youngish trees somewhere between 3 - 6 ft tall - as they seem to settle in quicker than the more mature trees - which can sometimes suffer a bit by having their roots disturbed - but then I'm not in any hurry for the trees to bear fruit as I'm normally adding extra varieties to the ones I've already got - so speed of growth is not that important to me.

You don't mention whether or not you have grown fruit trees before - but if you haven't - think maybe the more mature trees would be better - as there would be less work involved - particularly as the younger trees would require several years or so, depending on the variety - of training and pruning prior to being allowed to fruit - the only other alternatives I can think of are

to buy a mix - for instance - several more mature trees but the bulk of them being the younger ones
or
to purchase them in stages only buying a few at time - and waiting to see how they progress before buying more.

 

[zigs]

I'd go for the older trees too.

 

[cmckinney01]

I agree. Get the older trees. It will still take a while for the trees to bear fruit. If you get an older tree, you save yourself a year or two of waiting.

 

[gata montes]

I realize I forgot to mention - that if you choose to go for the mature trees - if you want strong healthy trees that will bear a bountiful supply of fruit in future years - even though it is always extremely tempting not to do this - it is always best to remove any fruit that forms during the first year of planting and sometimes even the second - as by doing that - you will land up with a much stronger trees.

 

[headfullofbees]

I agree with getting the bigger trees.
One in three fruit trees dies before maturity (usually through inadequate watering), so, especially if you are inexperienced, perhaps best to buy trees where people who are more experienced have done some of the work for you.

One year's earlier fruit will more than repay the difference in cost.