Should i dig up this plant and repot it

The wind has affected my apple tree in that its not looking straight. Its been like this for 3 weeks now. Im wondering if i should dig it out and repot it or maybe forcibly tie it to a stake to make it straight or should i leave it alone ? can you see its roots ? should i put more soil in it

 

It will require a better,ie larger, pot to develop if it cannot be planted in the ground. You can see the bump on the stem where it was grafted to rootstock. This should be planted so that this bump is only 25mm/1" above finished soil level, ie about estimated 75mm/3" deeper.
It requires a stake that is 30mm /11/4" square as a minimum and be as deep as the pot permits. A heavier, perhaps vertical sided pot, would give stability. I would use good garden soil not compost and finally apply mulch to the surface.
Depending on rootstock, the tree may outgrow any pot unless harshly pruned/trained, maybe bonsai style.

 

Thanks for the reply. Im only interested in whether i should do something to make it a bit more vertical but your reply seems to suggest that i dont need to address that issue

As to your other points it was sold as a dwarf patio apple tree suitable for pots and to me developing means that its grows apples. I was thinking of cutting it a bit as it seems to be getting quite tall. Its already had compost and bark chippings as mulch but i suspect something keeps digging them out or maybe the water somehow has caused the bark wood chips to disintegrate . I seem to be forever putting layers of bark as mulch on it

 

It is not planted deeply enough.
I have suggested how you could correct this. Verticality is a fundamental in repotting it. Unless you understand these simple suggestions i feel my time is wasted on you. I recall other posts with you which have had a similar response. I hope others may assist you in future.

 

It was planted years ago and each winter i take it out and repot it because the soil level goes down . The pot was filled to the top with soil last winter . This is partly why i was asking if i should just add more soil or take it out and then put it in again but im not sure doing this twice a year is a good idea especially now its fruiting. This is also why i posted in the container gardening section as i think its common for the soil level of containers to fall

 

The first thing you need to do is remove that chicken wire [why is it there?] and the cane. The ties on that are very tight from what I can see, and will be strangling the trunk, eventually causing damage, if they haven't done so already. Canes are only used for early growing, transporting and presentation in GCs etc. Once you have the plant, it needs properly staked - as has already been described by @infradig .
You need a proper soil mix in there too. Bark will work as a mulch or top dressing, but it will certainly break down over time - that's what happens with any woody product, whether in a pot or on a border.
Anything in a pot needs a lot more care than in the ground, so you need to follow what has been said regarding re potting it, and the right mix. Levels will always drop in any raised bed or container, so topping up is an ongoing procedure if you can't plant in the ground, but I'd also agree that over time, the pot will need to be bigger, or you'll need to root prune, because there simply won't be enough room for it to thrive.

 

Certainly good advice from both @infradig and @fairygirl . If you wish to grow it in a container, it will need to be large enough and contqin the correct medium.
If it is being affected by the wind perhaps you could find a quieterr spot for it - at least until it is more sturdy and able to withstand it ?

 

I have a number of tender plants that live in large pots on a permanent basis, they are in a mix of my garden soil and compost and I have never had a problem with this shrinkage you report. Every spring I dig out 3 to 6 inches of the potting mix and then refill with fresh material and a slow release fertiliser. The pots are the largest I can manoeuver in and out of the greenhouse.
The only ones I have completely repotted are the two large dahlias when I've wanted to split them.

 

Thanks the bark is only there as a mulch to stop water loss that has happened when it has been very hot . Its not part of the soil mix. but i will remove the ties

 

hmm well for some reason the soil/compost level definitely decreases in my pots. I do what you say during the winter but normally take the whole plant out and then put in new soil.compost mix but was asking if i should do it now. Im still not clear from the responses as to whether people are saying i should do this now or just leave it as is as its fruiting . The pot in the picture is 50Litres

 

Its unwise to disturb a tree at this time of the year, any repotting should be done in winter early spring before root growth starts.

Why its at that angle is mystery and what the wire netting is for is a mystery, I rarely top dress any pots with bark, its pointless as you cant see when the compost under it is dry.

So I would repot next winter into a bigger pot and straighten it up in the process, until then I would feed once a week through the summer.

Repotting needs to be done with soil based compost and firmed in at the time of repotting.

 

Its hard to find something a bit bigger than 50L but i think i might leave it as it is. I imagine the forum will go into meltdown if i said that this week i was thinking of replacing the wire with barbed wire so i wont say that

 

Barbed wire is mostly used to keep nasty neighbours out or to contain animals, never heard of a use for it regarding apple trees.
If its in the biggest pot that you can find then straighten it up during the winter and back fill with decent soil based compost.
Otherwise just leave it and stop bothering.

 

Are you having a problem with animals digging or pooping in the pot? I prevent that by putting in smaller canes or plant sticks, close enough together that the animal just doesn't have the room to do anything.

 

Bigger pots see here Heavy Duty Tree Container - With Handles - 50L they go up to 750 L
50 L is more then enough if you need to move it.
Now why where you thinking of barbed wire? I doubt if the forum would have a meltdown if you had a sensible reason, but it seems excessive. I've never had a plant try to climb out of a pot and make a bolt for freedom.