Deciduous fruit trees like well-drained soil in full sun.
Bare rooted trees are planted in winter when they are dormant. Prepare a hole 2 weeks prior to planting to a spades depth and about a metre in diameter. Dig in lots of old animal manure and a handful of blood and bone. A week later test the soil PH and, if necessary, add lime. See the soil section of this web site for more information about PH. After another week, you can plant your tree.
Remove soil to planting depth and put aside. Form a mound in the planting hole, place the tree in the correct position and spread the roots over the mound. Backfill with soil, making sure the graft/bud union is above the soil level.
If you live in a windy area, you may wish to stake the base of the tree. Hammer a stake 6 inches from the tree on a slight angle (making it easier to remove the stake when the roots are well established), and tie the tree to the stake with some soft material, which won't cut into the tree - such as old stockings.
Next, prune the branches to a lower, outward facing bud and water the whole planting area deeply.
Deciduous fruit trees should be pruned hard for the first few years to encourage a strong frame for the fruit baring part of the branches, and to shape the tree for maximum light penetration. This involves shortening the main branches and removal of inward growing branches. This applies to most types of deciduous fruit trees but once the initial shape of the tree has been established, annual pruning methods will vary with different types of fruit. Cherries for example bare fruit on older wood, and need little pruning apart from the removal of dead or diseased wood - whereas peaches bare fruit on the previous years laterals and should be pruned to encourage new growth for the following years crop.
Traditionally, most trees are pruned in winter when the trees are dormant but it is now common, at least in Tasmania, to prune most types of deciduous fruit trees immediately after harvest.
Soil around fruit trees should be kept moist, particularly during the growing and fruiting periods in spring and summer. It's also a good idea to mulch trees well, once the soil has warmed up in spring. Do this by spreading a layer of old manure and perhaps blood and bone, to the drip line of the tree and cover this with plenty of straw. Use at least one bail of straw per tree. Make sure the mulch is kept slightly away from the tree trunk to prevent fungal diseases from developing.
If your tree is dripping with forming fruit, it may be a good idea to thin the fruit out. This practice will give the remaining fruit a better chance to develop.