You can plant and transplant trees in summer

Summer isn't the absolute best time to plant or transplant trees and bushes but it can be done and the trees can thrive. You just never know, we've planted fruit trees in mid-summer that have done fine and planted a tree in spring, the optimal time for our climate, that died. There are many variables but right now, middle of August is the right time for me to plant a 4 in 1 plum tree that I found at a very low "clearance" price. It's also the right time to transplant a fruit tree that is dying in its present location.  The keys seems to be digging a very large hole, giving the trees (or bushes) or more specifically their roots a good soak before they go in their new hole and adding lots of good dirt and well aged compost to the new hole. Also watering the summer planted trees or bushes well and regularly for the rest of the summer is very important. Planting the 4 in `1 plum was pretty straightforward, it was from a plant nursery and really needed to be in the ground weeks or months ago. It was in too small a pot and very root bound but the tree itself looked healthy and a good size, possibly a 3 or so year old tree. I dug the big hole, with plenty of chicken and duck helpers, watered the hole to check for good drainage, filled the hole partway with a mix of good dirt and aged compost, added then the tree that had been soaking to the hole. I helped the roots spread out some and then added more good dirt and aged compost to fill the hole. I made sure to leave the rootstock/graft site (the bump on the lower trunk) above the dirt. I watered it very well and spread some mulch, well actually used duck shavings around the base of the tree to hold in moisture.

As for the tree in need of transplant it's a fruit tree, possibly a pear, that we planted several years ago, it never thrived and looked to be dying so it was time to try a new spot. Again I dug a really big hole and the whole process was the same as for the newly planted tree. The only difference is that hubby wanted to dig up the tree so he could ensure that most of the roots were kept intact and the dead branches were pruned off. The transplanted tree seems content in its new spot only time will tell if this will save that tree and if it's actually a pear tree. It's pretty skinny and with all the green background you can't really see the tree but it's there in its new spot!

The ducks got a nice bonus of the hole the transplant tree was dug out of, they enjoyed the hole and enjoyed it even more when I filled it with water for them!