Apple tree fertiiser

[JohnN]

My 10ft high Bramley has had a lake around it for the past 2 weeks and I had to prop it up as it was getting quite loose in the ground. Lake has gone now, so I've tamped the soil down as hard as I could and hope it will survive. What should I put round the trunk to "feed" the tree as I suspect the nutrients will have been washed out of the soil. (I've never needed to feed it before). Thanks for any advice on saving it.

[FelixLeiter]

Now that the water has retreated, your tree should be able to anchor itself better. Had the tree actually toppled? Tamping the soil down while is saturated could compact it, impeding aeration and, in future, drainage. Some of the finer feeding roots may be damaged, also.

If the lake surrounding it was caused by collected rainwater alone, then there is a possibility that some nutrients could be flushed away. On the other hand, if the water flooded in from elsewhere, from a river or stream, nutrients may have been brought in.

To anchor your tree, I would suggest staking it, perhaps with wire guys. As far as feeding is concerned, see what growth is put on next year. I would concentrate on remedying any root damage, whatever its cause, in the meantime.

[Geoff]

I just give my fruit trees bonfire ash when I have it, some lime in Winter (I tend to get bitter pit) and about 1lb per tree of Growmore in the Spring.

[Beryl]

I lost one of my apple trees some years back to flooding and asked the Chris Bowers nursery where I bought it what I should have done and ironically they said I should have watered the tree well to settle the soil around the roots again so it had something to anchor to. They also need oxygen to survive and compacting the soil will restrict this.

Beryl.

[JohnN]

Thanks for comments. I don't think my tamping went anywhere near the roots, mainly just round the trunk to stop it being blown over - it's in a fairly sheltered spot. The water is just rainwater - my neighbour and I share a "pond' that runs through the hedge when we get long downpours. It disappears in about 48 hours - when the rain stops!

[Motherwoman]

That won't be long enough to do any harm. But a good general feed when it's growing away in spring will give it a boost.

MW

[ken]

Same general theme. I've got three cordon apples and two cordon pears. Bitter pit is a bit of a problem with the apples. Has anyone any recommendations for how I should be feeding them at this time of year, re the balance between nitrogen and potash and lime?