Is July too late to plant bareroot tree with no leaves?

Hello,

I've just bought (last day of June) 2 apple trees (from poundstretcher) - a Braeburn and a Bramley and potted them in large (80 litre) containers.
I soaked the roots for a few hours and then watered them very well in their pots.

They have no leaves as they were bareroot, but I wanted to know if they stand any chance of surviving this late in the year?

They were reduced to clear in my local shop and I thought I'd give them a try.
The tree still has green under the bark, so I'd guess it wasn't completely dead, but I'm rather gullible when it comes to gardening.

Are they likely to grow at all this summer? Would they survive and start next spring?
Any tips/suggestions welcome.

I am very new to gardening and a complete novice, so apologies for my ignorance.

 

Hello and welcome to Gardeners Corner.

To be honest, I think the chances are pretty slim. Bare root trees are dug out in winter. 'Proper' tree and shrub suppliers have a bare root 'window', which ends in late winter, early spring. Ordinary shops also sell them, but they take far less care of them, often leaving them on display in a warm shop for days or weeks on end.

Its not certain death for it, but by now it will have been exposed to the warmth long enough that it will have been trying to wake up for weeks now, expending energy that it can't replenish. If I was a betting man, I'd say it has about a one in ten chance.

But don't write it off. I've seen plants come back against all odds before. You've already bought it and planted it, so as long as its not in the way, you're not losing anything by giving it a chance.

 

Thanks for the swift response
Sounds like good advice. I'll not hold out much hope for them, but will keep an eye on them until next spring to see if they make it through.

 

The way I see it: it has got two chances ...

 

That would be 50 - 50 odds then Kristen.

 

I reckon its 6-of-1 and half-a-dozen-of-the-other