Beechdale's Fruit from your Garden Guide 

• Select a site where the tree has room to grow without endangering buildings or drains.

• Dig a hole twice the size of the container.

• Dig in some well rotted Organic compost or Fish Blood & Bonemeal into the bottom of the hole and through the soil you will be backfilling the hole with.

• For trees drive in a stake into the hole (positioned so that the wind normally blows the tree away from the stake).

• For bare-rooted trees or shrubs place in the hole spreading out the roots as wide as possible.  

• For a container grown  tree or shrub tease out the roots to encourage it to root out into the surrounding soil.

• Position the grafted tree or shrub so that the top of the pot or soil mark is level with the ground.  Make sure the graft (bulge at base of tree) is not covered with soil.

• Backfill in the hole with rich soil, gently firming it as you go.

• Fit a good tree tie to trees, and anchor it to the stake.

• Water in the tree with 15 litres (3 gallons), and shrubs with 10 litres (2 gallons), of water.

The size an apple tree grows to is largely determined by the rootstock it is grown on.  The different rootstocks are:-

M 9  Most Dwarfing  Grows to 2.5-3.5m (8 or 12 ft) high.

M 27  Very Dwarfing  Grows to 3-4m (9 or 13 ft) high

M 26  Semi Dwarfing  Grows to 3-5m (10 or 14 ft) high

Trees on all of the above rootstocks need good rich soil, and are suitable to grow in a large container.  All above require the support of a stake permanently.