On Wed, 02 Apr 2003 10:29:43 GMT,
(John H Wood) wrote:

~On Wed, 2 Apr 2003 06:14:29 +0000 (UTC),
(jane) wrote:
~
~I managed to move successfully a tripover apple the other week. It was
~quite elderly, and the nicest flavoured apple in my allotment, but the
~previous holder had put it in a silly place. It had barely any root, and I
~thought it was not going to survive, especially as its buds were quite
~large at that point.
~
~I put loads of well-rotted manure in the hole, stomped it all down well,
~watered it well and mulched it heavily with wood chippings. It has now
~taken off like a rocket and has buds open all over, and looking like the
~flowers are going to open any day now. I was amazed. I think your
~youngsters will have a good chance.
~
~I hope this will not be pride before a fall. It's early days yet. The
~bursting buds don't show that the roots are working well. Just that
~it's spring and the tree is still alive.

well that's what I am afraid of... but so far, so good. I'm hoping it
just keeps going long enough to get a fruit I can take to be
identified, so I can buy another! I couldn't have left it where it
was, and during the lifting I realised it had keeled over and was very
loose in the soil without any help at all. It took very little effort
to get out, though I'd been prepared to dig a huge hole, expecting the
roots to be 6' across. They weren't - more like a foot across and 18"
down. So no, I'm not expecting it to be the longest lived tree ever.

Young trees however ought to be OK as long as their root balls are big
enough and there is a well-prepared hole waiting for them. This is
what I was told when I asked about moving mine.

~I have five choice apples varieties that I grafted six years ago and
~cherished. They were cropping well and living up to my expectation
~taste wise. The daughters' sheep got at them and ring barked the lot,
~the entire stems. They are budding wonderfully as if nothing had
~happened but when the leaves are out and transpiring in the hot sun
~they will die. Hope your own survives the transplant. Give us an
~update next spring.

Oh I will. Ouch to your trees. Can you wrap them in cling film or
something? Or just hope that you can graft them onto new root stock?

~Blossom already! Where do you live, south of France?
Chilterns. South facing slope, sheltered allotment. My potted
minarette's at the same stage (visibly pink flower buds). Giant
Bramley is still asleep, egremont russet just starting to wake.

I don't think they'll open for a while yet, but they definitely look
like they might! (Last year I noted one had blossom out by April 15th
but I think we're a week or so behind this year).


--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

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