Apple Tree Planting

[Peppertom]

Hello

I planted 3 apple trees in my garden 2 years ago.

they were dwarf M9 rootstock and purchase bare root.

I am concerned that i have not planted them at the right level. I tried to plant them at the soil level (as advised) but it was difficult to see.

what happens to the tree if i have planted at the wrong level?

i have had a small amount of fruit off each tree this year (max 6 apples per tree), and the trees are still quite small.

would apreciate any help.

thanks

[starloc]

Why do you think there planted at the wrong level?, apart from growing slowly

M9 is very slow growing for small areas , but fruits a bit earlier, but small amounts, you need to be sure that you fertilise correctly if the soil is at all poor

[FB.]

As has already been asked; what makes you think they're at the wrong level?
Apple trees are not particularly fussy if you plant them an inch or two higher or lower than at the nursery; they will just grow new roots, since rootstocks are designed to rapidly grow roots at the necessary level.
I've deliberately planted maiden apples a few inches deep or shallow and not had any problems, other than a slight delay in growth due to the plants needing to reorganise their root system. I've sometimes planted maiden M26 rootstocked trees as deep as the graft will allow, to improve anchorage and get the roots deeper into the soil from the start, to aid with gathering water from my poor, dry soil.
Sometimes, depending on conditions, trees need a couple of seasons to settle into their new environment. Your local conditions might be very different from the area in which the plant was grown by the nursery and the tree needs time to adjust.

If planted with the graft below ground level, they might eventually send out vigorous roots from above the graft. That's unlikely to happen unless the graft is well below ground level (more than an inch).

If planted too shallow, you'd have roots showing on the surface. The plants will just re-grow new roots further down and the exposed surface roots will shrivel and die.

The correct position for a graft is about one or two inches above the soil and you should have found that the uppermost roots were about an inch below ground level. With some varieties and rootstocks, the graft can be up to 1ft above the soil.
It is said that the higher the graft above the soil line, the more the tree will take on the vigour of the rootstock, while trees with grafts only half an inch above ground level will have more influence of the vigour from the variety on top.

M9 rootstock is fairly weak growing - which is why it's described as "dwarf". You don't mention your location (it would be very helpful if you would ), but M9 tends to prefer deep, rich, moist, cool soil.
Poor, hot, dry, shallow soils will completely stunt M9 and it may even die. If your soil is poor, there are some things that you can do to improve the conditions.

Which varieties do you have on the M9?

[Peppertom]

thanks for your responses - I will read a digest

thanks