Almost all fruit trees have the same basic needs of a sunny spot and well-draining soil. If you live in a cool-summer area, you may want to plant apricots, peaches, and nectarines where they'll be sheltered.

Fruit trees are generally available from containers or from bare-root stock. Plant bare-root stock in the winter or early spring as soon as the ground can be worked; soak the roots for at least 4 hours before planting, and cut back any broken or damaged roots.  Plant trees in containers any time from fall through late spring.

To plant a bare-root tree, dig a hole that is as deep as the roots of the plant and twice as wide. Taper the sides of the hole so they flare outward at the bottom. Create a mound in the center, place the rootball over it, and spread the roots out.

The bud union, a node-like area on the trunk of a grafted tree, should be 2 to 3 inches above the ground. Add soil and firm as you go. When the hole is almost filled, water thoroughly and adjust the height of the tree so the bud union remains above ground. Finish filling in the hole and then create a watering basin around the tree and water again.

To plant from a container, dig a hole as you would for a bare-root plant. Build a small mound at the bottom of the planting hole, remove the plant from the container, and place it on top of the mound. The top of the rootball should be about 2 inches above the surrounding soil. Add in the soil you dug up, firming it as you go.

When the hold is almost filled, water thoroughly and then continue to fill until the soil in the planting hole is even with the surrounding soil. Create a watering basin, and water the soil thoroughly. Note: Young fig trees can be attacked by gophers; line the planting hole with hardware liner or a gopher cage to prevent damage.