Houzz Logo Print
shazaam01

Should I Move Newly Planted Trees?

16 years ago

Within the last six weeks, I've planted two apple trees, two pear trees, two plum trees, and two nectarine trees in my yard. Here's a diagram showing my current layout (I added the periods to preserve the spacing):

........A........Pr........Pr........A........


....N.......Pl..................Pl........N...

The trees are spaced four feet apart. The apples were the first in the ground. I planted them about 12' apart with the idea of letting them grew to their full 12-14' mature height (semi-dwarf). I soon realized, though, that I didn't have any other good spots in the yard (small lot, mature trees, etc.) for the pears, and so I did some research and stumbled across the Dave Wilson method of tight spacing and pruning to maintain small tree size. So, rather than move the apples, I planted the pears between them (hence, the 4' spacing). I added the plums soon after, and the nectarines were the final addition.

So, while I like the balanced layout, I'm thinking about grouping the apples and pears on one side and plums and nectarines on the other with the idea of fostering better root cooperation. I could also space them a little more closely. Given the situation, would I be better off leaving the trees where they are rather than putting them through the stress of transplanting? Or, in the long term, would the trees be better off if I regrouped them?

Comments (2)

Sponsored
Country Kitchens
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars5 Reviews
Industry Leading Cabinet Designer & Supplier | Serving All States
Best of Houzz 2025: The results are in!