Less experienced gardeners often fear it’s “getting too late” to plant—sometimes even in mid-winter. A couple of sunny days or a sighting of the first blossom (Prunus mume here in July) convinces everyone spring has sprung and they want trees ASAP.
Good news: bare-root trees don’t need to be in the ground right now. We’ve planted as late as December (pushing it!) with 95%+ success, and we routinely see 100% success through to the end of October.
We ship by early September, and in our 45+ years of experience that timing is fine for every variety we sell. If in doubt, follow our planting guide.
Common worries—quick answers
1) “I want to plant before the trees wake up.”
Dormant ≠ asleep. Trees keep ticking over at low levels; timing within a couple of weeks won’t make or break success.
2) “Spring is coming, they should be in the ground.”
Calendar dates (hello, 1 September) don’t matter to plants. They respond to temperature, light and moisture—not the diary.
3) “They won’t grow unless I plant by early spring.”
Whether it’s 30 Aug or 14 Sep makes little difference. Success is about site prep, planting and aftercare. We’ve even planted fully leafed trees in December with ~95% success, and rough-handled trees planted in late September after the bushfires thrived.
4) “I need an ETA so I can prepare the site.”
Prep early—ideally months ahead. Last-minute digging is rarely the winning move.
5) “I still want a firm delivery date.”
We’re not Amazon. We grow living plants, they don't come from a warehouse in China! They are harvested and handled in winter, and weather sets the pace. We deliver thousands of orders within a short winter window rather than on a specific day - it is quite a job!
Good gardeners roll with the seasons—and patience pays off. If you’re still uneasy, we’ll cancel and refund before dispatch. After 15 August, cancellations/refunds aren’t available due to the season’s end.
Thanks for your understanding and support!