Dwarf Fruit Trees!

Good morning and Happy Easter.

Yesterday my four fruit trees arrived: Golden delicious, red delicious, gala and Williams pear.

I don't know what I was expecting but I am a little confused with what I got.

I think I was expecting four separate trees in temporary pots for me to re pot into something more sturdy and long term. I was expecting leaves and more tree than twig looking. That I am sure is just my naivety. What I got was four bound together in a clump the size of a large mango.

I am sure this is relatively normal, but I am new to GYO and now need tips on how to pot them etc to ensure I get it right. As I received them late yesterday I simply stood them in some water and plan to tend to them today.

Also, what should I look for to ensure they are healthy specimens.

Would really appreciate any help.

Looks like its going to be a good day to be out in the .

 

@GYO newbie
It sounds as if you may have got bare rooted plants. I would separate them carefully and plant them into their final positions, if available, or good sized pots. If into pots then use a soil based compost such as John Innes 2 or 3, make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom of the pots. Plant them so the graft is above the soil level. There may well be a mark on the stem from the previous soil level use this as a guide and plant no deeper.
At this time of year I wouldn't have expected leaves even on plants in pots. They should have a series of buds all the way up the stem and the graft should look firm with no splits in it.
Without knowing exactly what you ordered it's difficult to say more.

 

When in the act of planting don't let them dry out!

 

Thanks for the advice. Sorry I haven't replied sooner but I have had a really bad viral cold.

I have now planted them into pots. I used multi-purpose compost as that is all I had. I think I understood your graft comment.

Is it just a case of regular watering now? Do they require feed at any point?

Am I ok to use compost for most things. Soil is hard to get hold of. I have just put together a small raised bed. My intention was going to put a mix of soil and compost in it, but can not get soil.

Thanks

 

Pictures of my four dwarf fruit trees.

 

@GYO newbie
They look like what I would expect for bare root trees. Some of the buds appears to be swelling, which is good. What rootstock are they on? This will affect how big they grow etc.
You appear to have plenty of space if you want to put them in the ground.
I would give them a good watering now and then leave them until the compost, a couple of inches below the surface, starts to feel dry. I usually push a finger into my larger pots. I wouldn't feed at this point.
Multi Purpose Compost will be fine for now. Some types of this can be difficult to rewet if they dry out. A soil based compost is also heavier, which means the pot is more stable. Soil based composts keep their structure better and many people prefer them for long term planting in containers. John Innes type composts are readily available. A 50:50 soil:multi purpose mix is also useful for containers. In fact I use it for my large pots that I put out in the summer.

 

Thank you again. If I was to use 50:50 soil compost would you make the change sooner than later. Would you do it in the next week or two or leave until after the summer or even this time next year?

I don't understand your question about rootstock.

Are you saying that for watering you leave it until the top couple of inches dry before you water again? I am watering twice a day. Is that too much?

I really appreciate your advice and your time. Thank you.

 

Yes twice a day is to much. I'm saying for watering leave them until the compost starts to dry out further down. At the moment they probably don't need watering more than once every ten days or so. Watering is always a tricky thing to get right and is very dependent on conditions,k time of year and compost. It is probably better to keep things slightly drier rather than wetter.
Yes I think would change the compost sooner rather than later.
Fruit trees are generally grafted onto a root stock which controls the size of the tree. The top part controls what the fruit is like. Here is a link to a page that may explain better than I can.
http://www.ashridgetrees.co.uk/gardening-advice/fruit-tree-growing-guides/buying-apple-trees
This website has a lot of useful information on it.

 

Ooooooh - over watering. Yikes. Are trees different to seeds and seedlings? I am watering them twice a day.

Ok - will go out tomorrow and purchase some top soil or 50:50 mix and re-pot them. Give them a big drink and then leave alone.

Thanks - invaluable information. Will take a look at the link after my dinner.

Ta very very much.

 

Unfortunately you are probably over watering both the seeds and the seedlings.

 

No way you can plant them in the ground? Imo, they will do a lot better in the ground, and no need to worry about watering/nutrients once they're established.

 

Ok. Once a day? So far no damage done - the seedlings all look ok (well to me they do).

Better research watering m'thinks.

 

Re watering. It's something that's easy to get wrong, especially when your new to the 'scene'. With seedlings I try to be very sparing until they really get going. I find that by lifting the pot/container I can tell by the weight whether or not water is needed. If the pot feels relatively heavy, then you're watering too much.

 

Thanks. Will curb the watering. Wont be easy. I really like watering my 'crops'.

 

Re potted my dwarf fruit trees this afternoon. First opportunity I have had. They are now in a compost/soil mix. Given a good drink and I hope they are ok with being disturbed. Will reduce the frequency I water - wont be easy.