Q. My husband went out a couple of weeks ago and picked
up a Pink Lady apple and I have planted it.
I have it planted how you recommended and I have it mulched the
ground except for the 6″ next to
the trunk. I have it securely staked it and I am watering by hand everyday.
What next? Food, or what to make it do
well?
up a Pink Lady apple and I have planted it.
I have it planted how you recommended and I have it mulched the
ground except for the 6″ next to
the trunk. I have it securely staked it and I am watering by hand everyday.
What next? Food, or what to make it do
well?
 |
| Anna apple at UNCE orchard in North Las Vegas in October |
A. I would not water daily but probably every two or
three days. If you are doing it by hand you should put a moat around it about
four feet wide and 4 inches deep. Fill the moat twice when watering.
three days. If you are doing it by hand you should put a moat around it about
four feet wide and 4 inches deep. Fill the moat twice when watering.
If you
have drip irrigation going to it you should still handwater the first couple of
weeks before you transition to your drip irrigation. This will help to settle
the soil around the roots, remove any air pockets and moisten the soil outside
the root system. After transitioning to drip, you will not need the moat UNLESS
you use the adjustable drip emitters.
have drip irrigation going to it you should still handwater the first couple of
weeks before you transition to your drip irrigation. This will help to settle
the soil around the roots, remove any air pockets and moisten the soil outside
the root system. After transitioning to drip, you will not need the moat UNLESS
you use the adjustable drip emitters.
 |
| Bare root fruit trees planted, staked and protected from rabbits with chicken wire. The trees are surrounded by a moat or basin for holding water. These are watered with an irrigation bubbler. They were then mulched with green waste, chipped trees removed from Las Vegas landscapes. The mulch is kept away from the trunk several inches to prevent collar rot of the tree. |
If you
added plenty of compost to the soil when planting it probably will not need
anything else applied to the soil this season. If you were skimpy with the
compost in the planting hole then add a fertilizer application now or no later
than about mid-June. If you are an organic grower, use a compost addition to
the irrigation moat or compost tea as a fertilizer source.
added plenty of compost to the soil when planting it probably will not need
anything else applied to the soil this season. If you were skimpy with the
compost in the planting hole then add a fertilizer application now or no later
than about mid-June. If you are an organic grower, use a compost addition to
the irrigation moat or compost tea as a fertilizer source.
However
if organic sources are not that important to you then you try using some liquid
fertilizers, such as Miracle Gro or similar product. Dilute this fertilizer
into a five gallon bucket and use the five gallon fertilizer solution for one
of your waterings in the moat. If you do not have a moat, try some fertilizer
stakes pounded in next to the drip emitters.
if organic sources are not that important to you then you try using some liquid
fertilizers, such as Miracle Gro or similar product. Dilute this fertilizer
into a five gallon bucket and use the five gallon fertilizer solution for one
of your waterings in the moat. If you do not have a moat, try some fertilizer
stakes pounded in next to the drip emitters.
compressed.jpg) |
| Fruit tree fertilizer stake with plastic cap for hammering into the wet soil near a drip emitter. |
You will
remove the stakes holding the tree roots still (not the fertilizer stakes) at leaf fall this winter. Staking the tree to stabilize the roots during
one season of growth is all that is necessary.
remove the stakes holding the tree roots still (not the fertilizer stakes) at leaf fall this winter. Staking the tree to stabilize the roots during
one season of growth is all that is necessary.
If you
have rabbits in the area you will probably need to add rabbit protection in the
form of a cage around the tree. This will require chicken wire that is two feet
wide with one inch hex openings or smaller. Cut a piece three feet long and
circle it around the tree into a cylinder, tying the ends together to keep the
cylinder from coming apart.
have rabbits in the area you will probably need to add rabbit protection in the
form of a cage around the tree. This will require chicken wire that is two feet
wide with one inch hex openings or smaller. Cut a piece three feet long and
circle it around the tree into a cylinder, tying the ends together to keep the
cylinder from coming apart.
Bury the
bottom a few inches below the mulch and stake it to the ground. This helps to
keep rabbits from going under the cage.
bottom a few inches below the mulch and stake it to the ground. This helps to
keep rabbits from going under the cage.
You can
prune lightly any time but removal of larger pieces of the tree structure
should be done in the winter. It is too late to remove large wood from the
tree. If you do, you run the risk of sunburn damage to the trunk or limbs.
prune lightly any time but removal of larger pieces of the tree structure
should be done in the winter. It is too late to remove large wood from the
tree. If you do, you run the risk of sunburn damage to the trunk or limbs.
Some
pruning you can do now includes removing small limbs that are broken, weak or
are competing with other branches. If there are branches growing directly above
another branch, remove the weakest or less desirable of the two.
pruning you can do now includes removing small limbs that are broken, weak or
are competing with other branches. If there are branches growing directly above
another branch, remove the weakest or less desirable of the two.
If there
is one branch growing into another branch, remove or cut back the one which is
interfering. If there are branches that are growing straight up or straight
down, remove these. These are all cuts you can do now. Removal of branches is
usually preferred over just cutting them back.
is one branch growing into another branch, remove or cut back the one which is
interfering. If there are branches that are growing straight up or straight
down, remove these. These are all cuts you can do now. Removal of branches is
usually preferred over just cutting them back.
 |
| Birdseye view (from above the tree) of the scaffold limbs radiating from the trunk like spokes in a wheel. |
If
growth is excessively long, I usually cut them back as well to about 15 to 18
inches. This will help initiate fruit producing spurs if the tree is a spur
producing tree like apple, pear, plum or apricot.
If you
would like to keep the tree smaller than it would normally get, this next
winter remove the center, if it has one, from the tree at around waist height
or below leaving five or six limbs radiating from the trunk. After pruning this
winter, paint the tree with diluted white latex paint (50/50 with water). Paint
all the trunk and all major limbs to help prevent sunburn.
would like to keep the tree smaller than it would normally get, this next
winter remove the center, if it has one, from the tree at around waist height
or below leaving five or six limbs radiating from the trunk. After pruning this
winter, paint the tree with diluted white latex paint (50/50 with water). Paint
all the trunk and all major limbs to help prevent sunburn.