{"id":11683,"date":"2022-06-04T09:26:05","date_gmt":"2022-06-04T09:26:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/?p=11683"},"modified":"2023-05-23T07:34:01","modified_gmt":"2023-05-23T07:34:01","slug":"how-to-plant-a-medlar-tree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/how-to-plant-a-medlar-tree\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Plant A Medlar Tree?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Medlars are ancient fruit-bearing trees that have been enjoyed throughout Europe for centuries. They grow best in deep, fertile soil that is well drained and slightly acidic. They are attractive trees, so even if you don\u2019t grow them for their unusual fruit you can grow them to be purely ornamental. Let\u2019s find out more about how to plant a medlar tree so you can enjoy them in your yard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How To Plant A Medlar Tree?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"How<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Although medlars are tolerant of a range of soil types, they do prefer it to be rich, deep, and well-drained earth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ideal location<\/a> is in full sun but protected from wind. Medlars have a tendency towards easy breaking and can be damaged in strong winds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clay Soils<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you have particularly heavy soil, such as clay, then it will require plenty of organic matter adding to it to aid with drainage. Alternatively, you can choose to grow your medlar in a large container, select one that is in excess of 30 gallons for best results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deep, heavy soils that don\u2019t drain will suffocate the medlar tree’s roots, and ultimately if the tree does survive, it won\u2019t be particularly healthy and is likely to produce only minimal fruit, which may also be of poor quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you do have moisture retaining soil, then using a medlar that has been grafted onto quince rootstock can be beneficial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fertilizer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Medlars require little by way of fertilizer. Mulching each spring with a deep layer of organic mulch helps retain moisture during the summer months and slowly breaks down and feeds the tree over winter and the following spring, which is ideal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Young trees may require a small amount of slow-release organic fertilizer to give them a boost following planting. You can also add organic matter below the tree covered by some regular soil when planting to encourage the roots to grow down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sandy Soils<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The only time when additional amendments and fertilizers may be beneficial are if your soil is very sandy, as it won\u2019t contain many nutrients and water will drain from it too quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When planting a bare root tree, measure the size of the roots and dig an appropriately sized square hole a few inches deeper than the depth of the roots. The reason for making the hole square and not round, is that it prevents the roots from growing in a spiral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Testing And Amending Soil Drainage<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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  1. To test how well your soil drains, dig a hole of one foot deep by one foot wide in the location where you want to plant your medlar tree.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Fill the hole with water in the evening and allow it to drain overnight.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. The following day fill the hole with water again, providing it has fully drained.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Measure the water depth as soon as you\u2019ve filled the hole, you can use a stick to do this which you then measure with a tape measure to the water line.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. After exactly an hour measure the water depth again and write it down. So if your water depth started at 12 inches and after an hour it is 11 inches write it down. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    You can now assume that your water will go down at a rate of approximately 1 inch per hour. However, this is not always the case, so it is best to check again in around 6 hours’ time and do a little math by dividing the number of inches the water has gone down by the number of hours since you filled the hole with water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    E.g.: If 8 \u00bd inches of water had gone down in the 7 hours since you filled the hole, you would do the sum 8.5 divided by 7 = 1.21 inches of water lost on average per hour. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    This shows that the water loss rate is slightly faster than 1 inch per hour, so you should check the hole again in a further 2 hours and do the calculation again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Another example of faster draining soil could be after the first hour 3 inches of water have been lost, so you would need to check again in another hour or two hours and calculate the water loss rate to give you the average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    There are various other methods for achieving the same thing, but I find this pretty accurate. Don\u2019t forget to set an alarm so you remember to check at the right time!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    In this video, you can see how to test your soil drainage: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=AnFFx8srRUs<\/a>