Bare branches in late winter and swelling buds in spring mark the stretch when a young tree most wants to go into the ground in Utah. Early to mid-spring, while the buds are still tight, is the time for shade and ornamental trees, and fruit trees are planted in spring while still dormant, with fall as a second window for container and balled-and-burlapped trees.
When Is the Best Time to Plant Trees in Utah?
Shade and ornamental trees do best planted in April and May, and container or balled-and-burlapped trees can also go in during September and October.
- In April, plant while the buds are still closed and the soil has thawed, so the roots can start working before the tree has leaves to feed.
- In May, container and balled-and-burlapped trees still settle well, as long as you water them regularly while the weather warms.
- Through summer, hold off. Heat and dry soil stress new roots, and summer is the hardest time to plant a tree.
- In September and October, container and balled-and-burlapped trees can go in while the soil is still warm enough to encourage root growth.
- Once a fall tree is in, keep watering it until the ground freezes.
Bare-root trees are planted while dormant, before the buds open. Container trees can go in most of the year if you water them, but they settle best in the dormant season. Magnolia, dogwood, tuliptree, sweet gum, red maple, birch, hawthorn, poplars, cherries, plums and many oaks do better planted in spring than in fall. For Salt Lake City, the last spring freeze falls between April 12 and April 29, and the first fall freeze between October 18 and October 29. Utah spans USDA zones 4a to 9a, and most of the state is higher and colder than Salt Lake, while southern Utah is warmer, so shift your timing to your own elevation.
Utah — the year and the numbers
- State
- Utah
- USDA zones
- 4a-9a
- Last spring frost
- April 12 to April 29
- First fall frost
- October 18 to October 29
- Annual rain
- 16 in
- Lawn zone
- transition-season
- Source
- NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 Climate Normals, 32F freeze probabilities · Salt Lake City
When to Plant Fruit Trees in Utah
Fruit trees go in during April, and March or May also work. Bare-root fruit trees should only be planted in spring while still dormant, which means as soon as the soil can be worked and before the buds open.
Container-grown fruit trees are more forgiving, since they carry their roots with them, but the same spring window gives them the longest stretch to settle before summer heat.
| Kind of fruit tree | When to plant in Utah | Why then |
|---|---|---|
| Bare-root | April, or March and May | The tree is still dormant and the buds have not opened |
| Container | April, or March and May | Spring planting lets roots settle before summer heat |
Pruning a newly planted or established fruit tree follows its own schedule, covered on the Utah page about pruning fruit trees. Fruit varieties are sorted out on the Utah page about the best fruit trees to grow.
Best Trees to Plant in Utah
Utah’s winters, dry soils and swings in weather reward tough, adaptable trees. The choices that follow come from advice written for Utah, where conditions are cold and dry.
| Tree | How it does in Utah | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Chinkapin oak | Suited to zones 4 to 7 | Low-maintenance, long-lived, moderately salt tolerant and free of serious pests |
| Crabapple | Fairly drought tolerant once established | Needs only modest annual moisture, rain plus any watering you add |
| Tart cherry | Very cold-hardy and tolerates Utah soils | Fruit suits jams, syrups and other tart-cherry uses |
| Peach (higher chill hours) | Better suited to Utah | Many areas have winter warm spells that wake low-chill trees too early |
With crabapples, variety matters: some are more susceptible to disease than others, so pick cultivars rated for disease resistance and for your elevation. For apples, one rootstock is reported to be more drought resistant than others and resistant to woolly apple aphid. Common rootstocks are cold-hardy but struggle in alkaline soil, which can bring iron chlorosis.
When to Plant, Water and Prune Trees in Utah
The year for a tree runs on a few simple signs. Plant when the tree is dormant and the soil can be worked, water new trees while the ground is unfrozen, and prune fruit trees in late winter before the buds swell.
| Task | Best timing in Utah | Why then |
|---|---|---|
| Plant shade and ornamental trees | April and May, or September and October for container and balled-and-burlapped trees | Buds are closed in spring, and fall soil is still warm |
| Plant fruit trees | April, or March and May | Bare-root trees need to be dormant |
| Water a young tree | Regularly after planting, and until the ground freezes for a fall planting | New roots dry out fast in heat and dry soil |
| Prune a fruit tree | February and March, or April | After the worst cold and before bud swell |
Apples are pruned first and peaches last, closest to bloom, because peach flower buds are easily hurt by cold. In warmer parts of Utah such as Saint George, January can also suit peaches. Avoid pruning fruit trees in fall or early winter, since new growth may not harden before the cold.
Where to Get Tree Advice in Utah
Utah State University Extension and your county extension office can help with tree choice, planting questions and soil testing.
- Utah State University Extension publishes tree-planting tips and fruit tree guides you can read before choosing a species.
- Your county extension office can advise on which trees suit your elevation and soil, and can point you to a soil test before you buy.
Once the soil thaws in spring and the buds are still tight, dig the hole and get the tree in.
Common Questions
Can You Plant a Tree in Summer in Utah?
A container tree can survive it with steady watering, but summer is hard on new roots. Heat and dry soil stress them, so spring or early fall gives better results.
Should You Plant Bare-Root Trees in Fall?
Plant them in spring while dormant, before the buds open. Fall is better kept for container and balled-and-burlapped trees.
How Do You Know Your Utah Planting Window Is Open?
Check that the soil has thawed and can be worked, and that the buds on the tree are still closed. Higher, colder parts of Utah reach that point later than warmer valleys and the south.