Gardening expert explains: what to plant in autumn, what in spring

As October begins, nurseries offer a wide range of bare-root fruit trees and berry bushes that have reached suitable planting age over summer. Autumn typically brings the widest selection and the friendliest prices, but not every crop should be planted at this time, notes Edgars Rubauskis, leading researcher at the Institute of Horticulture.

What suits autumn, what suits spring

According to Rubauskis, hardier plants such as apple trees and various berry bushes are best planted in autumn, since they awaken very early in spring — sometimes when the ground is still frozen or overly wet. Fruit trees more sensitive to frost, such as cherries, plums, apricots and peaches, are better planted in spring, giving them time to root and toughen up against cold before winter. Bare-root plants in spring should go into the ground before buds open, since the young, fragile roots can be damaged by sunlight.

Storing plants over winter

If bare-root stock is bought in autumn but intended for spring planting, each plant should be heeled in separately, tip facing south, covered with soil, and — once the ground freezes — covered with spruce branches to shield against sun, rodents and deer. Plants must not freeze out, but also shouldn't get too warm, so they should never be heeled in inside a greenhouse.

Soil preparation and planting depth

The planting site should be prepared and fertilized in advance, avoiding fresh manure directly in the planting hole. Young trees need a weed-free area around the trunk for several years so weeds don't compete for moisture and nutrients.

Berry bushes are planted deeper than they grew in the nursery, encouraging new root growth. For fruit trees, the graft union's position matters — depending on the rootstock, it should sit either above or slightly below ground level to preserve its effect on the tree's size.

Container-grown plants can be bought and planted throughout the season, though technique varies by timing — in summer the root system is best left undisturbed, while in autumn or early spring it can be carefully spread out in the hole.