Care & Planting – Bare Root…
Care and Planting of Bare Root Apple trees
Gilby’s Tree Guarantee:
Providing that you follow our planting and care instructions we will guarantee you trees through October 1st of the year you purchased the trees.
Gilby’s Keys to Sucess
Site Selection
- Make sure your tree will get as close to full sun as possible.
- Make sure you have good drainage, at least 4 feet down from the surface.
- I recommend that you have your soil tested; you can call your local Coop or U of M extension office and they will send you a test kit. This kit will give you instructions on how to take the soil sample.
- The U of M will provide you with exactly what you would need to do to amend your soil for growing apple trees.
Picking up your trees
- When you pick up your bare root stock make sure the roots have not been exposed to the sun and wind.
- Bring a tarp with you, you will want to lay the trees on the tarp and cover with wet straw or burlap to keep the roots moist until planted.
Preparing the trees for planting
- Make sure you have no broken roots.
- Prepare root stimulator/water solution and soak your trees for 2 hours prior to planting. This will stimulate the hormones of the roots.
- .85 oz of Ferti-lome root stimulator per gallon of water.
Digging the hole
- I would recommend digging a hole to fit the root.
- Build a mound for the bottom of the root stock to sit on; make sure you have the mound built to the correct height. The bud union on a dwarfing tree will need to be at 2” above the ground to prevent the dwarfing tree from losing its dwarfing characteristics. On (B-9 plant 1” from soil line or tree might runt out).
- Use a 2 by 4 to span the hole. See picture below.
- If you have a lot of clay, rough up the wall of the hole so it is not a glazed surface.
Planting and Caring Checklist….
- Fill the hole with 2 gallons of water if ground is dry.
- Set the tree on the base you have built and spread the roots out equal.
- Place support stake in hole 12” from the tree if you are planting a B9 or M26 rootstock. Unless you are on a trellis system.
- Back fill the hole.
- Place a piece of ¼ or ½” hardware cloth around the tree to prevent any girdling.
- Drench your trees with the Ferti-lome solution about 2 quarts per tree. You can do this again in 2 weeks.
- Add additional 2-3 gallons of water if the soil is dry.
- Mulch drip line of tree… this is optimal. Prevent weed activity under the drip line of the tree.
- Put white tree wrap on tree to protect tree from Sun Scald and girdling from meadow voles.
