The Best Time to Plant Fruit Trees in Wisconsin
The average American eats about 65 apples each year, and many of them come from Wisconsin. Wisconsin gardeners also grow pears, plums, sour cherries and other fruits. Choosing when to plant your fruit trees is just as important as choosing the right cultivar.
Find Frost Dates
In Wisconsin, the average last killing frosts occur from April 26 to May 16 in the south and from mid-May through the first week in June in the north. Northern hard frosts begin mid-to-late September, extending to late October farther south. Determining the average frost dates for your area helps you decide when to plant. Fall plantings must be made at least a month before the first frost, and spring plantings should be done well after the last frost.
Hardy Varieties
Apple varieties well-suited for Wisconsin's extremely cold temperatures include Red Delicious, McIntosh, Gala and Empire. European pear varieties grow throughout the state, but peaches and sweet cherries thrive only in the warmer, southeast part of Wisconsin. The University of Wisconsin Extension's publications provide complete lists of appropriate fruit trees.
Packaging
Container-grown trees can be planted in early spring or fall in Wisconsin, but bare-root trees must be planted in spring. The UW Extension recommends planting both types of stock as soon as trees are available in local nurseries in spring.
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Writer Bio
An avid perennial gardener and old house owner, Laura Reynolds has had careers in teaching and juvenile justice. A retired municipal judgem Reynolds holds a degree in communications from Northern Illinois University. Her six children and stepchildren served as subjects of editorials during her tenure as a local newspaper editor.
