Planting Process

• 1
  Semi-dwarf and dwarf trees are better for your backyard than standards--unless you have a lot of space.apples image by Dina from Fotolia.com
  
  Younger trees are the best choice--those that are around 1 year old and 4 to 6 feet tall with a good root system. Standard, semi-dwarf and dwarf are the three tree sizes. Standard trees can grow as high as 15 to 20 feet. Semi-dwarf trees may grow 8 to 12 feet high with dwarf trees topping out at 6 to 8 feet. Also remember to space them far enough apart--35 feet for standard, 20 for semi-dwarf and 7 to 10 feet for dwarf.
  
  
• 2). The best times to plant your trees are in the fall or early spring. Apple trees need 8 to 10 hours of full sunshine on average. At least two trees should be planted since one is needed as a pollinator.
  
  
• 3). Once unbundled from the nursery, soak roots--if dry--immediately in a bucket of water for six to 12 hours. If the soil is too wet, place the trees in an open trench, covering all of the roots with soil. Also cut off any broken roots or extra long roots that are lengthy enough to wrap around the hole.
  
  
• 4). Prepare your soil by working in lime to achieve a pH level of 6.5 if needed. Phosphorous also may be added at this point--based upon your soil test results from your county extension office. After plowing your soil, rake it to smooth the surface.
  
  
• 5). Dig holes twice as wide as the root spread--so that the roots will not be crowded--and deep enough to be the same level as at the nursery. Set your trees in each hole, filling in halfway with soil. Firm the soil with your feet. Fill the rest of the way. Then pack the soil firmly, leaving no depressions around the trees.
  
  
• 6). Soak the soil with water immediately after planting to rid the soil of air pockets around the roots. If you have planted dwarf trees, stake them immediately with a 4-foot-tall post on the tree's southwest side about a foot from the trunk. Use a 1-inch-wide rubber strap to loosely fasten the trunk to the stake. They need to remain staked as long as they live.
  
  
• 7). Prune as soon as you plant. Even though your trees are young, they need to be pruned to develop a sturdy framework of branches. Unbranched "whips" or trees should be cut back to 24 to 30 inches above the ground to cause the buds just below the cut to form scaffold branches. After this initial pruning, the best times for pruning of unwanted limbs are late winter, early June or early August.
  
  
• 8). Train your trees as soon as 2 to 3 inches of growth appear. Use wooden spring-type clothes pins between the main branch and the new growth to form the sturdy angles that will be needed to support future fruit.
  
  
• 9). Fertilizer is needed for young Georgia apple trees. Use 1 cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer around one month after planting in a 2-foot circle around the tree to provide them with nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium.