In case you’ve somehow missed the following information: my soil is very thin. So, making a hole big enough for my last apple tree felt like too much of a challenge and didn’t happen. Actually, it didn’t happen for the first two either but, being bigger now, perhaps shallow soil is less of an issue for them.
However, with a rather large amount of newly acquired soil from pond-building, I thought the Ribston Pippin might benefit if I made a transfer to its site. Thus,
the point where the scion was grafted onto the rootstock is still above ground so that it isn’t going to turn into a standard sized tree but the trunk of the rootstock is not so exposed. I’m also rather hoping the ‘soil’ will bring with it some nutrition, especially the clay subsoil. Either way, though, I’m glad to be able to repurpose the pond soil.
Good post – waste not, want not. Soil takes so long in the making its good to do as much as you can with it.
Thank you, Simon – it’s great to have my own additional source 😊
🙂
Good you’re making maximum use of the soil you have. Clay has some good nutrients if it can be “unlocked”. Although an apple has a taproot, it gets most of its nutrients and water through its lateral roots – so the taproot is more important if you have hard winds – and who knows, they have a way of finding a route down there!
I don’t think my trees will have taproots after being grown in a nursery , so the smallest will probably have to be permanently staked. The lateral roots on my oldest tree certainly have a good spread on them, though 😊