Poor roots

[Little big horn]

I have a 5 yr old apple tree that I think I could push right over it produced several apples last year not much this year coons busted it up bad last year. I don't know root stock its a Cortland is there anything I can do to get roots to possibly regrow this tree has always had this problem looks healthy except where it had some limbs broke by coons . thanks

 

[Smokegobbler]

I've had this problem with big box trees (circular roots) and it can take some time for normal root growth to develop. Five years seems like a while though. I'd just stake it well in the meantime.

 

[PoorSand]

I have staked several of mine over the years that did not seem to be rooted real well. I used to put the stakes a few feet away, but wind gust pressure against the trees caused the posts to loosen up and tilt. This year, I tied trees to posts twenty feet away. They sustained winds of over 100 mph last month. I think the extra length of rope really helped absorb the shock. I also had some trees braced with notched 2X8's. They came through the storm well too. The only other thing I can think of is to pile some more dirt up around the trunk, as the Cortland wood might send out roots of its own, though it is does, your tree may grow to standard size.

 

[yoderjac]

When you plant either containerized trees or bare root trees, you need to ensure there are no j-hooking or circling roots. The biggest problem is with the tap root. This is not as large of an issue with things like apples on clonal root stock since there is no tap root, but containerized trees can produce circling roots. Bad roots should be pruned prior to planting. This can be avoided by using root pruning containers like Rootmaker RB2s. They actually produce a more dense root system.

Having said that, there are other possibilities as well. Voles can eat roots making trees less stable. If you dig a large hole and backfill it with good soil in native soils that are heavy clay, you can encourage the tree roots not to penetrate the native clay and stay in the more porous soils. This too can produce a tree that is not stable.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Little big horn]

yes clay soil its in tree seems to sucker quite abit also I was cutting them off when I noticed how poor rooted it still was.I didn't know if running a spade around to cut some roots would encourage some new roots