Planting and caring for an apple tree
Soak it, plant it, keep the grass off it and feed it potassium. Then try very hard not to let it fruit in its first summer.
Where
Apples like full sun and a warm, sheltered spot that isn’t prone to late frosts. RHS: How to grow apples
Orchards are often planted on slopes so that cold air drains away on frosty spring nights, sparing the blossom. Britannica: Apple
Planting
Soak a bare-root tree’s roots in a bucket of water for about half an hour before planting. RHS: How to grow apples
Plant trained trees about 30cm (1ft) out from a wall or fence. RHS: How to grow apples
In a lawn, clear a circle at least 1m (3ft) across around the tree, so grass doesn’t compete with it. RHS: How to grow apples
Water and mulch
Water newly planted trees regularly in dry spells for their first couple of years. RHS: How to grow apples
Mulch a newly planted fruit tree every year for its first three or four years, to hold in moisture and keep weeds and grass down. RHS: Feeding and mulching fruit trees
Feeding
Plants need three main elements: nitrogen (N) for growth, phosphorus (P) for roots and potassium (K) for fruit and flowers. RHS: Feeding and mulching fruit trees
Most fruit trees need plenty of potassium, which helps buds and fruit develop. Cooking apples need more nitrogen than eating apples. RHS: Feeding and mulching fruit trees
Feed fruit trees in late winter or early spring; mulch them in mid to late spring and in autumn. RHS: Feeding and mulching fruit trees
Apples in pots
For a pot, choose an M9 or M26 tree and a container at least 45cm (18in) across, filled with John Innes No 3 compost. RHS: How to grow apples
Apples in pots like a high-potassium liquid feed every fortnight in the growing season. RHS: How to grow apples
The first summers
Pick off any fruits in the year after planting, and let only a couple grow in the second year, so the young tree puts its energy into growing. RHS: How to grow apples
In early summer trees shed some young fruit by themselves. This is the “June drop”, and it’s normal. RHS: How to grow apples
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