New Apple Trees - now I got my new apple trees how do I treat them

[greenjelly]

I started a thread back in October asking for advice about planting a new orchard - I received so many fantastic replies full of advice and information about apples.

I have now finally made up my mind as to varieties and they should be arriving on the 1December. They will be bare rooted but the nursery says they can be left up to 14 days if I can't plant them straight away. They are 2 diploids and 1 triploid - a Peasgood Nonsuch, Worcester Pearmain and a Blenheim Orange. They are 'bush' trees but I'm not sure exactly which rootstock they're on.

Once they're in the ground what is best to do - should I prune any branches or just leave them? also I've read that the 1st years blossom should be removed in order to improve yields for the future but doesn't that mean I won't get any fruit for 2 years?

I'm growing organically and fully intend not to spray any harmful chemicals so will be filling the planting hole with plenty of manure - is that root fungi stuff a good idea?

[WendyC]

Can't offer any planting advice. Someone knowledgeable will be along shortly. Just wanted to say Blenheim Orange brings back many childhood memories of apple tees there's one in my dad's garden. It was there as an established tree when we moved in in the early 70s and is still going, despite having had canker. Dad, determined to save it religiously pruned out any signs of it over a number of years. I hope yours is as long lived, although I sure it's by no means a record.

[FB.]

They are 2 diploids and 1 triploid - a Peasgood Nonsuch, Worcester Pearmain and a Blenheim Orange.

I think that Peasgood's Nonsuch has a high chance of one day being genetically analysed and found to be triploid. The formerly-assumed Diploid "Ashmead's Kernel" shocked a few people about a year ago when it turned out to be triploid.
Peasgood's has the following indicators of triploid:

Large fruit.
Large leaves.
Thick leaves.
Oval to round-shaped leaves.
Reports of "part-self-fertile".

But I wouldn't worry about it. Pollination should be fine; being achieved by the Worcester, other apple trees which the bees visit, and the tendency of triploids to often be rather more "part-self-fertile" than many diploids.

[orangepippin]

You should ask the supplier for planting advice, since they alone can tell you how they have raised the trees and hence how they need to be planted and pruned. It is also difficult to advise here without knowing what rootstock they are on ... but it is pretty important to find that out, otherwise you won't know how far apart to plant them.

[FB.]

I'm not sure exactly which rootstock they're on.

That could be a problem. Will they be dwarfs or giants?
Do you know the supplier - or will the supplier tell you the rootstock?
Pictures of the rootstock can sometimes allow a tentative identification, as their root structure, stem bark and the way the graft has healed can be distinctive for certain rootstocks.

Once they're in the ground what is best to do - should I prune any branches or just leave them?

Pruning depends on what you want to do with them. Prune what needs pruning to persuade them to grow into the shape needed.
Basic bush-tree pruning is to shorten the new growth by about one-third to one-half during winter to encourage branches and vigorous regrowth. So prune them any time after planting, but not later than about February. But only prune where pruning is required; some of my apples sometimes don't need any pruning for 2-3 years, while others need a lot of guidance due to each variety's natrual growth habit.

I've read that the 1st years blossom should be removed in order to improve yields for the future but doesn't that mean I won't get any fruit for 2 years?

Generally speaking a young tree needs to put its energy into growing and laying down strong roots to fuel the big crop loads when mature.
Being greedy for a crop in the early years will reduce the production in later years. The small crops on young trees often drop prematurely, or end up being destroyed by pests as there are several pests and only several apples; one apple each for the pests and none left for you.

I'm growing organically and fully intend not to spray any harmful chemicals so will be filling the planting hole with plenty of manure - is that root fungi stuff a good idea?

By all means add some mycorhyzal fungi to the roots, but it's probably better to not enrich the soil in the planting hole by more than just a small addition of compost/manure/fertiliser as otherwise the roots won't want to grow into the "poor" surrounding soil and therefore the tree may be slower to establish.

Instead, apply a generous mulch of that manure on the surface of the soil after planting. This will rot-down and slowly release nutrients into the soil. It will also preserve moisture.
Keep the manure or compost at least a few inches away from the trunk, to avoid the wetness rotting the base of the thin-barked trunk of a young tree.

[greenjelly]

I have checked with the supplier and bush trees are on M26 root stock and will grow to about 3/4 metres.

I've bought them from a company called Hedging Plants for Sale | 1 Year Guarantee | Ashridge Trees Nursery

Thank you for the advice about the planting hole - I'll make sure I put the manure around the tree and also take off the first years blossom.

[FB.]

I have checked with the supplier and bush trees are on M26 root stock and will grow to about 3/4 metres.

M26 is a good rootstock.
Versatile; good for small to medium bushes and small to medium trained forms.
Not nearly as prone to soil-borne root disease as the common MM106.
Much better able to cope with some neglect or damage than the dwarf M9 and M27.

M26 is, in my experience, best for ordinary garden use in average conditions, unless a tall-trunked tree is required, in which case M26's roots may not have the structural strength to support a large topweight rocking in the wind.

The Blenheim may get to 3-4m, but the others will probably be more like 2-3m in 10-15 years. Soil and climate in Leicestershire are reasonable - typically not too hot, not too cold, not too dry, not too wet.

Remaining advice on planting and care as per my post #5 earlier.

[FB.]

Note that size guides don't mean that a plant magically stops at a certain size; apple trees - or almost any trees - will usually continue growing slowly all their lives (a few inches per year).
Normally, when mature, the growth of new shoots tends to be offset by the pruning-out of older shoots which are badly placed, dead or unproductive.
So if pruned, a mature tree will remain about the same size. But if unpruned it will continue to get slowly larger.

As I've said to a few people before: you wouldn't plant a lawn and never prune (mow) it, so why do people think that trees never need pruning?
At the very least, a fruit tree should be inspected for pruning requirements every winter. Sometimes no pruning is required. Other times a few dead twigs need removing. Sometimes rubbing or diseased branches need removing. Pruning varies from year to year, but should not be ignored.

An M26 should be prune-able in half an hour in winter; the same time as taken to mow the lawn.
Best pruning technique is to make as few cuts as possible, rather than snip the end off every shoot with shears. Shearing will considerably reduce the crop of tip or part-tip bearers - such as Blenheim and Worcester.
In the early years, the cutting back by one-third to one-half will inevitably cut off some of the fruit buds of tip-bearers. However, this is a necessary evil to get the tree trained for its mature, heavy-cropping years.
It is better to DO it right in terms of pruning and shaping when young, rather than PUT it right when a tree has matured but has taken on an awkward, unattractive shape due to neglect of early training.

[yummersetter]

I grow Blenheim and Peasgood - I like them both, Peasgood is very attractive on the tree, too.
In my case ( planting into heavy soil that has grown apples for a couple of hundred years) the Blenheim on M25 took a long time and a lot of growth before it produced any fruit - probably about twelve years. I doubt that you'll have to wait nearly that long but be prepared to give it a while as that's a characteristic of the variety - it is worth it. Oh, and twenty years from planting I haven't been aware of any canker on my tree.

[greenjelly]

Thanks so much for all the advice particularly about pruning - I've found it so difficult to find straightforward advice about pruning as most books seem to assume you have a degree in horticulture or provide complicated pictures and diagrams which are no good when you're at the bottom of your patch and your expensive book is in the house.

I think I will stake them as a precaution at the start.

[yummersetter]

And your tree is never anything like the illustrations in the pruning book, anyway . . .

[Peas'n'Kews]

I too am looking at planting lots of orchard trees. We are close to, and therefore went to, Thornhayes tree Nursery in Collompton (Devon). They were willing to spend an hour with us even though we bought nothing (yet).

They do not advise putting organic matter in the planting hole in winter as it basically holds water and the roots sit and rot - see this link Planting and pruning ornamental and fruit trees - standards; half standards; maidens; whips .

We need to do a lot of work with our clay meadow before we can plant our trees, so waiting till this time next year when we'll've done the work - that'll give us a chance to go to the apple tasting day in October and help us choose our apples!

Good luck with your orchard Yummersetter, it very exciting!

[yummersetter]

I've just planted three peach trees, and the main problem I have is the orchard grasses encroaching on the new trees, so my plan this time is to cover the planting area with cardboard 3ft square with a large cutout for tree and stake, then in early spring I'll put well-rotted manure onto the outer one foot of the cardboard. I might first whip the card off in the coldest days of winter to give the birds a treat with the slugs and eggs that are sure to be underneath. I'm hoping that will discourage the grass and encourage the roots