Apple Tree On The Move

 Today was the day we moved the Gala Apple Tree into the empty spot left when we removed the old Lilac.   This is where I wanted it all along, but when we bought the tree we had not yet worked up the initiative to destroy that poor old bush.  So the apple tree spent a year and a half in a temporary spot and did its duty cross pollinating the other trees. I started moving things around to fill the area weeks ago, but I wanted to wait until the tree was more dormant before I disturbed it.  Yes, it still has most of its leaves, but they are loose and fall each time you give it a good shake.

I felt a little bit bad cutting it loose from its moorings.  It was well rooted and had a few roots thicker than my pinky finger that I had to cut with a pruner.  But we were careful how we planted it, and with a regular watering schedule it ought to root in well over the next month.  It will need to be watered every day for the next two weeks, and then twice a week for the next month after that.  It should also have water throughout the winter unless the ground is already saturated.

We dug a hole one and a half times the diameter of the root ball, added fertilizer and made sure the root flare was high enough above grade so it would not be covered when mulch was added.  We watered it in well before we mulched.  The anchors will prevent the wind from pushing it over and can be loosened gradually as the roots begin to take hold.

We mulched around it but left the area where we will be planting grass seed bare.  We want to shrink the overall size of the mulched area but that can be done in the spring.