Apple Tree Newby - what did I do wrong?

[Wind Gypsy]

I bought 17 apple trees this year. 10 of them went on the hunting land and 7 got planted at home. I only intended to plant 3 at home but failed to get 4 of them in the ground at the land and figured I'd get em in the ground at home until next spring.

The first 3 were planted in our lawn in what seemed like nice black topsoil shortly after receiving them. These 3 trees (1 chestnut crab, 1 red baron, 1 enterprise) look like hell so I'm worried there is something wrong with the location. The other 4 (2 chestnut crabs, 1 hewes crab, 1 unknown (enterprise or yellow belly crab i think) were planted close to 2 weeks later maybe 70 yards away and look great.

I'm curious if someone could help ID the issues based on these pics. My newby untrained eye wonders if there isn't a CAR and powdery mildew issue already. Should I be moving these to the same area as the trees that seem to be doing well?

Enterprise

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Red baron

 

[Wind Gypsy]

The chestnut crab only has one or two buds where any green is showing at all.

These are the trees that got planted later about 70 yards away. These were received at same time.

 

[crowskee]

Mine looked like that for 2 years. This spring I fertilized them for the first time ever and they took off.

 

[bigboreblr]

I'd nip off the lowest branch on that bigger tree, last pic in the 1st post.

My 25 bareroots had a few stragglers. Ground soil temp can vary this time a year a bit. Areas that hold more water, closer to bedrock. Also, I had trouble gettingm y rototiller in gear this year. I would of rototilled my tree planting areas to mix in better soil than my heavy clay. After I planted my dozen or so permanent location trees, I got the rototiller working. I rototilled up a 4x12ft tree nursery and put the extra trees close to each other. That looser well mixed soil that was mulched over. The nursery trees leafed out about a week earlier than the permanent trees. Pretty sure the soil warmed up faster. I think Im zone 5a. Trees were planted right after the last frost here 3rd week in april. All my trees expect one from tractor supply are the same, Atonovka. A yellow russian / polish apple that is as cold hardy as it gets. A few guys will be up north at camp in zone 3A with lake effect snow to boot up there.

Also, how each plant was handled in each step effects it too. I have been transplanting vegetables, cacti collection, and ornamental trees for years. The roughed up one usually come back. Sometimes they loose a good year of growth from the stress.

I removed a few asian plums to make room for these apple trees. I gave them to coworkers. When I took them out of the ground, I trimmed back some of the newer growth so the root system damage wont over stress the transplant.

 

[sandbur]

Red baron
View attachment 43191View attachment 43192View attachment 43193

We’re those bare root? If so, I have pruned back heavily when planting. I never used to do that, but some experts have convinced me of that.

If those trees are from Luke, I suspect they started as scion from my place.

You could give him a call if they are doing poorly.


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[Wind Gypsy]

We’re those bare root? If so, I have pruned back heavily when planting. I never used to do that, but some experts have convinced me of that.

If those trees are from Luke, I suspect they started as scion from my place.

You could give him a call if they are doing poorly.


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The whips are from Luke and the bigger tree is from Wallace.

I did text Luke after starting this thread and he just told me to let ‘em grow.

 

[H20fwler]

Agree with the pruning off almost all of that low stuff right off the bat, unless the trees are dwarf and you want to sit on the ground to pick your apples.

I cut off any unwanted "feathering", don't need any branches under 4' here and don't want the tree to waste any energy making something I will just cut off.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Agree with the pruning off almost all of that low stuff right off the bat, unless the trees are dwarf and you want to sit on the ground to pick your apples.

I cut off any unwanted "feathering", don't need any branches under 4' here and don't want the tree to waste any energy making something I will just cut off.

I had planned to but it didn’t happen this year. Does it hurt them since they aren’t dormant anymore?

 

[Native Hunter]

I could be wrong, but that looks like Wooly Aphids starting on the Enterprise. We don't have that problem here, because of having lots of ladybugs (and Asian Beetles) that dine on them. See link below:

StackPath

 

[H20fwler]

I had planned to but it didn’t happen this year. Does it hurt them since they aren’t dormant anymore?

No, the roots were trimmed back hard before they sent them to you. I have cut off low leafed out little branches plenty of times.

I've done the same missing them or being too busy to prune new stuff the first year. Don't overthink it just have fun growing and enjoying them...it's all about the fun of doing it! At that size whether you trim or not this spring isn't going make a big difference in the long run as long as you get it doing what you want next spring.

 

[Apple Junkie]

Just a guess... was there a hard frost between the two planting dates?

Regardless, not much to do now but let them grow. I think you might be surprised how well they do. I have had trees that I thought were on death's doorstep, only to see them grow like a weed the following season. Good luck!

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Just a guess... was there a hard frost between the two planting dates?

Regardless, not much to do now but let them grow. I think you might be surprised how well they do. I have had trees that I thought were on death's doorstep, only to see them grow like a weed the following season. Good luck!

There wasn’t, it’s been unusually warm since planting.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

I have a small Kerr seedling from a well known nursery that I planted last spring that looked just like your first set of pictures of your Enterprise. It was about 2 feet tall and had maybe 10 small leaves. I thought it was a bust but let it go. This year it has jumped to about 3' tall and is covered with lush foliage. Might fertilize it to give it even more of a jolt.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Let them go - they will likely be fine. Some varieties start slower than others, especially the year they are transplanted.

 

[sandbur]

Let them go - they will likely be fine. Some varieties start slower than others, especially the year they are transplanted.

And if on antanovka rootstock. I seem to have dry few successes of trees I purchase from ... on that rootstock. A few have done very well. Maybe 10 per cent.


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[sandbur]

And if on antanovka rootstock. I seem to have dry few successes of trees I purchase from ... on that rootstock. A few have done very well. Maybe 10 per cent.


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Years back and probably also recently, someone suggested pruning all feathered, bare root apple trees back to about 30 inches where there is an upward growing bud. It is hard to do when you buy a feathered tree.

But for me, and on my soils, and in my climate, it seems to make a big difference. I even prune back my one year old seedlings when I transplant them.
I just don’t feel the root mass can support that much top on the tree and is better off growing more of the new top at it’s own pace.

Once again, my conditions are different than everyone else’s.

Has anyone looked closely at the root mass on trees on dolgo seedlings and this on Antanovka?


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[bigboreblr]

Years back and probably also recently, someone suggested pruning all feathered, bare root apple trees back to about 30 inches where there is an upward growing bud. It is hard to do when you buy a feathered tree.

But for me, and on my soils, and in my climate, it seems to make a big difference. I even prune back my one year old seedlings when I transplant them.
I just don’t feel the root mass can support that much top on the tree and is better off growing more of the new top at it’s own pace.

Once again, my conditions are different than everyone else’s.

Has anyone looked closely at the root mass on trees on dolgo seedlings and this on Antanovka?


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Now you got me nervous. I bought 25 antanovka bareroots from SLN. Most will be at home in 5A. A few will be about 20 miles SE of their nursery........ I am going to graft 5 of them in the spring to keep the same row growing the same apples in my old orchard. They're some sort of red/green apple. Been told Mcintosh.

 

[sandbur]

Now you got me nervous. I bought 25 antanovka bareroots from SLN. Most will be at home in 5A. A few will be about 20 miles SE of their nursery........ I am going to graft 5 of them in the spring to keep the same row growing the same apples in my old orchard. They're some sort of red/green apple. Been told Mcintosh.

They will probably do fine for you in your climate. I just had that discussion last night with a small commercial grower who has 1000 Anty rootstock. Some do very well with them.

Most of my Anty rootstocks are on trees from SLN. Trailman has done well and so did Almata. So many more have not.


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[Bowsnbucks]

I've done the same missing them or being too busy to prune new stuff the first year. Don't overthink it just have fun growing and enjoying them...it's all about the fun of doing it! At that size whether you trim or not this spring isn't going make a big difference in the long run as long as you get it doing what you want next spring.

Wind Gypsy -

I agree with H20 on this. Don't drive yourself crazy the first year. Pruning and training apple trees is a multi-year process. None of us create "the perfect tree" in its first year. Read up on pruning & training apple trees in their early years - from planting time up to year 6 or 7. Lots of info out there. Check out these university sites on pruning / training apple trees - Cornell, Penn State, U. Mass, Rutgers, U. Vermont, Purdue, Mich. State.