If you do not live in a flat area but live in mountains or similar places with many slopes, then perhaps you have thought whether it is even possible to plant trees and even make them grow?
Answer: It’s definitely possible to plant fruit trees and trees on a slope.
However, there will be some things that you need to be aware of, which we have listed below in this article if you want to plant trees on a slope.
Pros of planting fruit trees or normal trees on a slope:
- Allows for better drainage and airflow
- Helps strengthen the integrity of the hillside
- Reduces the amount of soil that is washed away when it rains or winds strongly.
Cons of planting fruit trees or normal trees on a slope
- Can be difficult to plant and water due to the slope
- Possibility of the tree being washed away by heavy rain if it is not planted correctly.
- Risking planting the uphill part of the roots deep and exposing the downhill part.
It can therefore be a bit more tricky to plant fruit trees on a slope than planting on a normal flat surface.
However, as mentioned there can be some benefits of planting trees on a slope, which should outweigh the bad things.
How do you water a fruit tree on a slope?
It can be hard watering fruit trees on a slope because the water tends to run downhill quickly and the fruit tree won’t have absorbed any water.
- Do fruit trees grow well on a slope?
- How to choose a fruit-bearing tree to plant in a sloping area?
3 Steps to Plant Fruit Trees on a Slope
It doesn’t have to be difficult to plant fruit trees on a slope, but it depends on how steep the slope is.
First of all, you need some supplies that you need to gather before you can plant a tree on a slope.
Supplies needed for planting fruit trees on a slope
- Spade
- Tree/plant
- Bucket
- Mulch
- Watering can
1. The location and cut into the slope
First, you have to find the location where you want to plant your tree on the slope and mark the spot with your spade.
Take your spade and start creating a flat area. The purpose is to create a flat area that is approximately three times wider than the root balls of the fruit tree you are planting.
When the flat area has been created the goal is to stabilize the planting area before you plant your tree roots in the slope.
It’s easily done by stamping on the ground with your feet or pounding the ground with your spade.
You may use some rocks or even a reinforcement net depending on how steep the slope is.
The last thing you need to do is make holes for as many trees or plants as you want to plant.
2. Planing the tree
When you have created the flat area and stabilized it the time has come to plant the tree.
Plant your trees by placing the tree into the prepared holes and make sure the trunks are as upright and straight as possible.
Take a look at the roots and make sure they are spread out in as many directions as possible before filling the hole again with soil.
Don’t plant your fruit trees, trees, or any other plants near the top of the slope or at the bottom, as the roots will then be flooded or perhaps become too exposed and drought.
3. The berm and mulch
The purpose of creating a berm for your tree is to reshape the surrounding area to gather some of the water as it drains down the slope. From the berm, we will be able to redirect the water into the trees.
The easiest and most popular method which I would recommend everyone new to plant on a slope is creating a half-donut shape around the base of the tree.
The last thing to do when your tree has been planted is to add mulch. This will trim your new tree and create a nice finish.
The optimal amount of mulch added to a newly planted tree is 2-3 inches of mulch around the tree.
How fruit trees can lead to better drainage on a slope
Answer: Fruit trees like apple trees lead to better drainage on a slope than planting on flat ground.
An apple tree has a better condition to grow on a slope, because there is better drainage and airflow, compared to in a garden on a flat plot.
Apple trees can thrive in mountainous areas or similar areas with steep slopes, as they will absorb an enormous amount of sunlight when the weather is clear and the days are long.
If you wish to plant many apple trees or have your own apple orchard, would a mountainous area be preferable due to the long hours of quality daylight.
However, you will need to be patient once your apple trees have been planted. It can take between 3 and up to 10 years before they have grown large enough to produce any apples at all. This will depend on which apple variety you have chosen.
Final thoughts
To summarise, fruit trees can definitely be grown on a slope or on a mountainside.
However, the place you choose to plant your new fruit tree is very important to ensure that the tree has the right conditions to grow large and thus produce delicious, tasty fruit.
I hope you benefited from this article if you live on a slope and want to plant one or more fruit trees.