Beautiful and fragrant, apple trees can make a great addition to your yard. Not only are they attractive, but they are also practical. If you have the time to harvest them occasionally, they can provide you with sweet sustenance while also shading your yard. As your apple tree grows, it will also begin to enrich the soil around it, explains Vieira Gardening Services, experienced and knowledgeable gardeners in Woking.
This means that your soil will be fertile to plant other trees and bushes of your choosing. To find out if apple trees are right for your yard, this article will explore all of the benefits and necessary preparations in order to grow successful trees.
What Are the Benefits?
With their beautiful blooms and delicious fruit, you have probably considered planting some apple trees in your yard before. An attractive option, apple trees are known for boosting curb appeal.
Not only are they beneficial in this way, but they also allow you to have a pesticide-free growing experience. Apples that you purchase in grocery stores are often treated with chemicals and additives to allow them to grow as big as possible before public consumption. When you are growing your own apples, you will know exactly what happens to them.
Apple trees can become very large over time, providing a great amount of shade in your yard. This can make playtime for the children easier and a more relaxing space for adults. Apple trees can tolerate drought, so if you live in an area where this is possible, your trees will be okay.
Weather can be a major concern when it comes to other fruit trees/bushes, but you will find that apple trees are highly versatile. They do not take an extraordinary amount of care, so they are appropriate for both seasoned gardeners and beginners as well.
How Do You Plant Them?
Before you select an area that you wish to plant your apple trees, it is a good idea to test the soil in the area. See how fertile it is and if it would be able to successfully grow your trees. The pH in the soil should be around 6.0-7.0 if you would like to plant them. This is the ideal soil range for apple trees.
Before you plant your tree, the roots must be soaked. Soak your roots in a tub for 1-2 hours. It is important that you do not let the roots experience freezing temperatures during this time because they are so fragile and vulnerable.
After digging a deep enough hole, you will want some sort of compost or manure mixed in with the soil for additional fertilization. After placing the tree in the hole, hold it vertically while you bury its roots. Put the topsoil in first. Tamp the soil down frequently in order to prevent any air pockets.
Pay attention to the slope in which you’ve planted your tree. If a slope exists, you will need to create a rim that is around 2 inches above the ground-level of soil. This will assist the water in order for it to reach the roots of the tree. Without this rim, any water has the possibility of running down and causing soil erosion.
Deeply soak your newly planted tree with a gallon of water. You should only have to water it every 7-10 days after this.
When Do You Plant Them?
Ideally, Fall is a great time to plant any fruit tree because it is known for having mild weather. This is going to give the tree a better chance to survive because the temperature won’t be at its lowest, but it also won’t be at its highest.
When you plant in the Fall, this puts less stress on your apple trees which is what you should be aiming for. This is going to give them a better chance of survival. You will also need to water them less in the Fall. By the time Spring comes around, the roots will be well-established and healthy for even more rapid growth.
While apple trees can realistically be planted year-round, it makes the most sense to plant them in the Fall. If you were to choose another season, you would have to do more work in order to ensure that your tree is going to thrive.
Especially for a beginner, it makes the most sense to just wait until Fall.
While the entire process can seem daunting at first, know that there are always helpful people at nurseries available to answer your questions.
They can even work with you to determine if your land is going to be the best place to plant apple trees. Having this kind of knowledge beforehand is important. It will save you the time and disappointment of planting trees that do not end up making it.