The Best Time to Transplant Apple Trees

There are apple varieties for every taste and climate.

There are apple cultivars to suit every taste and home growers can enjoy growing everything from heirloom apples to modern climate-adapted varieties. Transplanting lets home growers find the best site for their chosen variety.

Transplanting

Containerized trees may have had their roots severed.

"Whenever trees and shrubs are purchased and planted, they are being transplanted," says Marcus Jackson, Extension Forester at North Dakota State University. Field grown apples have their roots severed for containerization, similar to root cutting that occurs when you dig up an established apple tree.

Established Apples

Use a long, sharpened shovel for root pruning.

Root prune established apples 1 year to 6 months before transplanting. The best time for transplanting is during the dormant season, late fall to early spring, so plan your root pruning accordingly.

Whips

Plant whips in spring before they leaf out.

Transplanting whips (bare-root apples with stem only) is best done in early spring before shoot growth begins. David Lockwood, Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences at the University of Kentucky, recommends planting mid-February through mid-March.

Container Grown

Transplant before shoot growth beings.

Entirely container grown apples can be transplanted throughout the growing season. Transplanting during dormancy (December through March) is preferred if the ground is not frozen.

Effect of Climate

Avoid late fall transplanting and winter injury in extremely cold climates.

Transplant apples in early spring (late March to early April) or late fall (October to November) in most climates. Avoid fall transplanting in extreme climates like New England. Milder climate areas have no danger of frost or heavy or waterlogged soil due to snow melt.

References

• North Dakota State University Extension: Transplanting Trees and Shrubs
• University of Maine Cooperative Extension: Planting and Early Care of Fruit Trees
• Ohio State Univ. College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences: Growing Apples in the Home Orchard
• University of Missouri Extension: Home Fruit Production, Apples
• University of Tennessee Extension: Planting Fruit Trees

Resources

• West Virginia University Extension: Planting and Care of Fruit Trees
• Washington State University: How to Transplant Trees and Shrubs Successfully
• TLC for Trees: Transplanting Trees --Time of Year
• Univ. of Tennessee Extension: Successfully Transplanting Established Trees
• University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension: Growing Apples in Wisconsin, page 4-5