I was wondering this also. Your ground is workable? I haven't tried to dig in my zone 5b yet. My neighbors are probably going to think I'm crazy. Still having snow here.

in our MI ... i tried to get all my tree/shrub work done in april ... 6 to 8 weeks before the heat of summer in july ... and everything was usually still dormant at that time ...

this winter has been rather mild.. so moving it up a week or two is OK ...

make sure .... where you stand when you are digging.. that you yourself dont compact the soil if its wet or soggy ...

and to be clear.. i never succeeded with a tree peony.. so if there are any special rules in regard to that ... then i would defer on that part ...

just do it ... and dont worry if it gets cold again ... they have been there all winter ...

the only issue you might have.. is getting water to them .. if you need to use a hose.. drain it.. and detach it from the spigot so it doesnt freeze or burst ...

and once watered in properly after planting.. i would be surprised if they dont need water for weeks after ... there simply isnt going to be enough heat to draw water out of the cold spring soil deep into the root zone ... even if the surface looks dryish ... insert finger and find out ...

ken

Thanks - you guys reassured me. This will be planted in the vicinity of the foundation, and I haven't checked the soil yet to see if it's workable. I'm just planning ahead because it's supposed to be in the 50s for about the next week or so and if not thawed already, soon will be (and yes I already know --> dry enough to work it is another issue).

Here in zone 6b, I already have leaves opening on a number of shrubs. I only have maybe one or two things to move, which I hope to get to soon.

I looked at it yesterday, and the buds are starting to show "fringe" on the ends -- meaning the leaves are going to start sprouting any time now. I'm going to try to move it this weekend, but we're supposed to get a lot of rain so that might quell that plan... The fruit trees that are in the barn have super-fat buds -- I'm hesitant to take them out into the warm sunshine to speed the process because I'm not confident there are enough insects for pollination just yet. Although I did see what looked like a bee and some other assorted insects while I was out on a walk yesterday. But still...too early for much pollination to occur (and what's the point of fruit trees if you don't get any fruit)

when i planted fruit trees.. i didnt expect fruit for a year or three after planting ...

trees simply dont grow like annuals and perennials ... we usually talk of tree time.. counted in years and decades ... not a few weeks ...

the root mass of a tree should be as large as the tree you see above ground.. and some suggest twice as large ... and i am positive that whatever you have in that barn.. doesnt have the requisite root mass for sexual maturity ... that is to say.. to bring fruit to.. wait for it.. fruition .. lol ... it might flower.. but at the first sign of high heat.. i wouldnt be surprised they abort ...

get the trees planted ASAP ..

i am also surprised you dont have a slicker and swampers.. to go work out in a rain ... i havent seen a forecast but are we expecting a noah level rain this weekend?? and if not.. get out there and plant ... of course.. march rain can be a bit colder than a warm may rain to work in in MI ...

if the trees are budding.. i wouldnt try to hold them for very long.. i would get them planted ..

ken

ps: what kind of fruit?

To shoot your theory to shreds (because it's fun :0) ), the trees had fruit on them when I bought them, so they have reached sexual maturity. Also, it is well known that fruit can be grown successfully in containers -- perhaps won't reap huge bounties, but nonetheless they can fruit in containers.

This is an experiment for me. My other fruit trees never bloomed last spring. AT ALL. Thought maybe the fruit buds got killed off by the harsh winter, the fruit area in the (fenced off) vegetable garden is in the path of winter winds. So, if can protect them from the winter winters and keep them a few degrees warmer in the barn they might actually do well. Also, they're too big for me to run out there and easily/quickly put frost protection on by myself plus I just don't have time in the morning before work to be bothered with taking it all off so the pollinators can get to them, but I can cart them in and out of the barn quickly to solve the problem of spring frost kill of the flowers. HA! I do have a nectarine planted in the garden, so will see how that one does, too, for comparison.

To shoot your theory to shreds (because it's fun :0)

==>> pretty easy to do if you change the fact scenario.. because you didnt mention you were growing them permanently in the pots.. as compared to planting them this weekend ...

we have frost/freeze possible until mid may .. i dont really care how mild winter was ... ma nature usually fails to have a sense of humor about such ...

i might move them near the barn door if feasible ... so you could get them into more light.. but still be able to close the barn door in the evening ...

and there is the whole potted plants that get sodden due to spring rain.. and then a freeze comes along.. and the roots rot ...

i would recommend you delay as long as you can stand it ... i know you have the fever ... but caution might be worth a pound of cure ...

your still working.. i dont recall what you market ... but if its a secret.. no need to tell ...

ken

ps: what about the slicker and swampers... lol ...

pps: when i moved those 1650 potted hosta in winter ... the biggest nightmare was that i found out.. the pole barn was 2 or 3 zones warmer ... and i had hundreds of pots of hosta coming into active growth.. with 2 months before frost threat was gone ... i lost about 500 hosta during that time.. as per above ... too much water in the pot ... root rot ...

What are you talking about? I'm not planting the fruit trees! It's the tree peony I'm moving. The only thing I have to do with the fruit trees is move them in and out of the barn daily to protect from frost damage -- and it isn't quite time for that yet.

I have a great pair of Muckboots (didn't you recommend those?). I don't know what a swamper is LOL!

P.S.: I'm not in marketing.