The Off Topic Forum

Transplant a apple tree

So today I noticed a small apple tree growing alongside the road outside one of our fields. Was thinking of transplanting it as it wouldn't last long at the edge of the road few questions be grateful for any answers
1 is there a right and wrong time of year to
Move them
2 what type of land/soil suits them best thanks tom

tom boyd
Sunday, June 26th, 2011

You should not transplant it until the leaves have died off and it is dormant, winter time. However, maybe if its small enough you could dig up a lot of the sod/clay around it without damaging the root system too much and get away with it. I suppose the local council hedge trimmers will have it gone in few weeks now that the nesting season is nearly over.

Rho b
Sunday, June 26th, 2011

apples dont grow well from seed to adult hood. Normaly they get grafted to the root system of another tree.next time ur in a garden centre look at the end of the stem near the soil and ul c where the apple tree is attached and the other tre is cut off

stephen prendergast
Sunday, June 26th, 2011

Its probably a wild crap apple. Great for making cider.

Rho b
Sunday, June 26th, 2011

Stephen P is correct. Any seedlings from the main trees, plum or apple, that matured in our orchard, never came to much and now we dig them out while manageable.
If you do decide to move it at this time of year, you'll need to manually water it until late autumn.
If it's not in the way of council cutters, I'd just collect the fruit from where it is.

Elizabeth
Monday, June 27th, 2011

tom any month with an R you can lift and transplant any trees because the sap has gone back to the roots

mick mac
Monday, June 27th, 2011