Planting Fruit Trees in Fall: 11 Tips for Success

This comprehensive seed starting guide provides essential information and practical insights. I thought fruit trees had to be planted in spring because that's when they went on sale at the big box hardware stores. Planting fruit trees in fall has a lot of advantages over spring planting. Here's why—and what you need to know to succeed. Now, though, I know that planting fruit trees in fall is often an even better idea. Why Spring Might Not Be the Best Time to Plant Fruit Trees There are a couple of reasons why spring-planted trees endure more stress than fall-planted trees. Reproductive Drive In spring, trees are eager to flower and reproduce. The fruit that grows from the buds contains the seeds that will eventually grow into new trees. When you buy trees from nurseries, they are usually a few years old. This means they are at an age when they are likely to start fruiting.