Generally I do not soak fruit tree roots for more than an hour, the
Malling roots certainly do notlike prolonged wet. When I soak the
roots I use a propiatory soloution of seaweed extract (the original
Maxicrop in the brown bottle for those in the UK) for an hour. I will
also water some of the tree in with this solution. I know that the
tree is dormant, but some how it seems to help. When watering the
dormant tree is does not need puddling in as you might for a growing
plant.
Regards
Clifford
Bawtry, Doncaster, South Yorkshire
working my way through grafting 400 apple trees