Planting an Apple Tree

Dogwood in full bloom today, March 29th!

I try to do something in the garden every evening. The weather is just too perfect and with daylight savings time so early this year, I have no excuse to stay in the house.  This evenings list included planting peas and an apple tree.

I'd had my eye on a little McIntosh apple tree at the Big Lots store in Lebanon. I finally purchased it on Monday and it sat here near the dog wood all week.  It's suppose to rain this evening so it was the perfect time to plant.

I'm ready to plant. Hole is dug, bucket of water at the ready. With our heavy clay soils I make the hole wide and not too deep so the tree doesn't sit in water.

Here's a hole, it is no deeper than the root ball of the tree is tall.


A shovel full of well composted cow manure will help it get a good start.

I remove all the wrappings from around the "root ball" which is really just a lot of black potting soil pressed around the roots. It falls apart as soon as I take all the wrapping off. That's ok. It fills the hole and I plant the tree in that nice black dirt. Zeke wants to help.  Next I pour some water all around the roots.

Zeke says,"I helped!"

Last, I heap crumbled garden soil, which is mostly clay, all around, tramp it in gently and water some more. I'll keep it watered and with luck in about three or four years I'll have apples!  Gardeners are always hopeful of the future.