I got my dad a few apple trees for his garden at Christmas a couple of years ago. They have been in place and growing for 2 years now. The issue i have is that we wrongly planted one i think. The tree hole is basically quite a bit below the ground level (i will try and get a pic shortly). Anyway i am wondering if i should lift it, fill the hole in and replant it in same hole but flush with the surrounding ground level. Or could i just fill the hole and leave the tree where it is? This would bury some of the rootstock and im wondering if this could cause peoblems ?
I know it isnt great to bury the tree below the graft union because it would result in the scion sending out roots and growing with potentially different vigour to that of the rootstock.
Anyway 3 options
leave as is
lift and fill hole and plant at ground level
fill the hole up to ground level, burying some of the rootstock but ensuring the graft point is still above ground.
Any help would he great and i appreciate any help you are willing to offer.
Some trees, some plants, are quite sensitive to being too deep or too shallow.
Apples don’t seem to have that problem so far as I am aware.
Typically you want to plant at least as deep as the soil line that usually is visible on a new plant.
And, planting so the graft union is covered may indeed make the tree grow larger if it was on a dwarfing rootstock.
Otherwise, there may not be a wrong answer to your question. (Although leaving a “bowl” type depression around the tree is not the best choice unless the ground is of a somewhat sandy consistency…too much water kills more trees than drought.)
I have a couple that I buried to deep years ago. Some died because of too much water like blueberry said and the ones that survived turned from dwarf to standard.
I would leave them in the ground. You have two years of root growth that would be lost if you move them and most likely they would be dead now if there was a problem. Although, I would expect a fair chance that they may turn to standards.
If the tree looks healthy after being planted for two years it most likely will be ok as is in my opinion. The exception would be if it is in a low wet area.
Thanks everyone that is a great help. The soil is probably mainly clay based. I think it is actually growing ok and it is on a bit of a slope so although its a fairly wet climate, it doesn’t tend to pool at the base of the tree.
It is growing quite healthily and so maybe i should let it be, its just one of they things that frustrate me every time i see it! Haha, i guess its a lesson learned.
Thanks i topped up the depression with some composted manure as we would do annually anyway and it looks a lot better already. Still somewhat of a dip but hopefully they continue ti grow well. Thank you all,