How to grow a wild apple tree

Video: How To Grow An Apple Tree From SEED to FRUIT 🍎! In 3 YEARS!!

Content

Part 2 of 4: How to Plant the Seeds
Part 3 of 4: How to plant a finished tree
Part 4 of 4: How to Care for a Wild Apple Tree
Tips
What do you need

1 Mix seeds with compost. Place a handful of wild apple seeds in a pot or other garden container. Add two to three handfuls of peat-free compost to a container and mix thoroughly.

If desired, you can use sheet compost.

2 Moisten the mixture. Mix the seeds with the compost and add a small amount of water to moisten the mixture. Add just enough water to squeeze a handful of the mixture and squeeze out only a few drops of moisture.

If you add too much water, dry the mixture with a little compost.

3 Transfer the mixture to a plastic bag. Moisten the mixture and transfer from the pot to a plastic bag. Tie the top of the bag in a knot, but do not tighten too much.

4 Store the bag in the refrigerator for about three months. Place a plastic bag with seeds and peat in the refrigerator. The vegetable drawer is the best place to store this mixture. Do not store the bag in the freezer. The mixture should be refrigerated for 12-14 weeks or until the first shoots appear.

This process is called stratification.By chilling this mixture in the refrigerator for several months, the seeds will get used to the cool and humid conditions and then begin to germinate effectively.
After 10 weeks, start checking the seeds regularly for the first signs of growth. If sprouts have appeared, then it is time to plant the seeds.
It is advisable to correctly calculate the seed preparation time in order to plant the germinated seeds in early spring or autumn.

Part 2 of 4: How to Plant the Seeds

1 Choose a sunny location with good drainage. When planting wild apple trees, the most important thing is to choose the right place. You need an area with as much sun as possible, so forget about shady corners. In addition, the soil must provide good drainage so that the roots do not become damp.
- To check the soil, dig a hole 30–45 centimeters deep and wide and fill with water. If the water drains in 10 minutes or less, the soil provides good drainage. If an hour or more is required, the soil does not absorb water well.
2 Spread the seeds over the area. Choose a suitable location for planting wild apple trees, then take a rake and make small grooves in the soil. Gently scatter all the seeds in a thin layer so that they are inside the grooves.
3 Press the seeds into the soil. After spreading the seeds, walk over the area with an empty metering wheel to press the seeds into the ground and thereby increase the likelihood of effective germination.
- If you do not have one, rent a tool from your local hardware store or garden center.
- You can also press the seeds into the ground using a wooden board.
4 Cover the seeds with gravel. Press the seeds into the ground and sprinkle with a layer of garden gravel about 5-10 millimeters high.
- Garden gravel is a sandy soil improvement material that improves soil structure and drainage by creating pockets that trap water and air. It is sometimes sold as ground cover or washed sand.
5 Drizzle liberally with water. Place a layer of gravel and sprinkle water over the area with a watering can. The soil should be moist, but no stagnant puddles on the surface.

Part 3 of 4: How to plant a finished tree

1 Choose a sunny location with good drainage. A wild apple tree requires at least six hours of direct sunlight a day, so don't choose a shady area. Also, make sure the soil is draining to keep the roots of the tree healthy.
- To check the soil, dig a hole 30–45 centimeters deep and wide. Fill with water and watch how long it takes. If the water drains in 10 minutes or less, the soil provides good drainage. If an hour or more is required, the soil does not absorb water well.
2 Clear the area. Before planting a young wild apple tree, it is important to clear the area of debris. Get rid of stones, weeds, and anything else that can interfere with healthy tree growth.
3 Dig a hole to the appropriate depth, but wider than the root ball of the tree. Before planting, you need to inspect the root system of the apple tree. Use a shovel to dig a hole of the appropriate depth in the selected area, but two to three times wider than the root ball.
- Place the tree in the hole. The top of the root collar should be at or slightly above ground level.
- When planting several wild apple trees, the trees should be placed at a distance of at least 3–6 meters from each other.
4 Add some compost to the soil. If the soil in the selected area is not in the best condition, then it should be fertilized. Mix the excavated soil with a little compost to cover the roots with a healthy mixture.
- When planting in fertile soil, you do not need to add compost.
5 Place the tree in the hole and fill it halfway with water and soil. The tree should be removed from a container or burlap and placed in a dug hole. Fill the hole halfway with soil and fill with water to compact the soil.
6 Wait for the water to drain, then fill the hole with soil. Leave the tree for a few minutes until the water is completely absorbed into the ground. Fill the hole with the remaining soil so that it completely surrounds the base of the tree.
- You don't need to compact the soil around the apple tree too much.

Part 4 of 4: How to Care for a Wild Apple Tree

1 In the spring, add compost and mulch. For healthy tree growth, a layer of compost should be added every spring. Spread it along the contour of the irrigation or in the area under the lower branches of the tree. Then add 5 centimeters of mulch to help the soil retain moisture better and prevent weeds from growing in it.
- The mulch should not reach 8-10 centimeters to the tree trunk so that the roots do not become damp.
2 Water the trees early in the morning. In warm weather, wild apple trees need to be watered regularly if the rainfall is less than 2.5 centimeters per week. In the first year, it is necessary to provide watering of 2.5–5 centimeters of water once a week. It is best not to water a wild apple tree in the evening, when the air temperature drops, to prevent mold growth.
- After the first year, the wild apple tree should only be watered during periods of drought.
- Check the soil under the tree regularly. It should be damp. If the soil is dry, the tree needs to be watered.
3 Trim damaged branches. In the spring, it is necessary to remove all dead, damaged or diseased branches to prevent disease and other problems. Use sharp pruning shears to trim problem branches to ensure healthy tree growth.
- You may need a hacksaw to trim thick branches.
4 Support the tree if you live in a windy area.. Drive a stanchion into the ground to a depth of about 60 centimeters at a distance of 150 millimeters from the trunk. Tie your wild apple tree to a support with twine or hemp rope. The support will help protect the tree from wind and other atmospheric influences.
5 Wrap paper over the trees for the winter. In winter, trees are prone to sunburn. You can solve the problem using special paper that is sold in nurseries or garden centers. Wrap the tree trunk to protect it from damage. In the spring, this winding must be removed.