replanting some apple trees

[Mark the Bodger]

Good afternoon everyone,

Below are 2 apple trees that my mother in law wants me to move to my house.

they were only planted last year in the spring (i think).

can i replant them now or do i have to wait until after winter?

also any tips on how or where to plant them are most welcome.

cheers

Mark

[FB.]

While they have leaves on, they must not be dug up.

If you dig a tree up while it has leaves on, its fine, soft, water-absorbing roots are all destroyed and the plant will go into dehydration shock because it takes several days for a plant to re-grow them, during which time the leaves continue to call for water and nutrients.
The end result is that the leaves all die, the rots have already been damaged and the tree is severely weakened or even killed as a result.
However, I will say that with experience it can be done - I have been known to transplant "bare root" trees in leaf and they usually don't notice.

So leave them until all the leaves have mostly fallen off. The Rosette looks as though most of the leaves will have fallen in a few days time; it can be moved then.
The Discovery looks like it needs another week or two for the leaves to finish yellowing and start dropping.

When it comes to moving them, I suggest use a fork as it's less likely to slice through roots and more easily loosens soil than a shovel or spade.
Stand facing the tree and put the fork into the ground about 1ft away from the trunk and slightly loosen the soil; loosen, but don't lift the soil out with the fork.
Go all around the tree in a circle.
Then go around again, going gradually further under the tree and loosening more and more soil until eventually you can slide the fork right underneath the tree and lever/lift it out.

Then treat as for any bare-root tree.

As fow how/where to plant them depends on what you want to achieve with them.
I note that the Rosette is M26. I'd assume it'll get to about 1.75m (6ft) in average growing conditions, in 10-15 years.
The Discovery is not properly labelled, but if it is really on M26 as has been hand-written on the tag, then assume 2m (7ft) when mature, in average conditions in 10-15 years.

Incidentally, it is thought that Rosette is just a variant of Discovery - or possibly an offspring of Discovery, so they are not likely to be good pollinators of each other.
However, there are usually adequate apple trees in nearby streets to do the job. Also, my Discovery's never seem to have a problem with pollination (might be part-self-fertile, which might also explain my bitter pit problems with Discovery, since bitter pit is worse in self-pollinated fruits).

[orangepippin]

I agree with FB. Wait another few weeks, for one of those calm mild winter days which we often get in December / January, and when there is no freezing weather forecast.

[FB.]

Iwhen there is no freezing weather forecast.

Oops, yes - I forgot to mention that it's a bad idea to try to move trees when the ground is frozen, or immediately after heavy rainfall (the ground is too heavy, trees get damaged when lifted, root wounds are more likely to get fungal infections when soil is heavy and also it's dangerously slippery for people doing the digging!).

[Mark the Bodger]

As always a fantastic and quick response to my question.
Thank you very much for your time and comprehesive response.

Mark