August isn’t the ideal time to plant apple trees; however, if your circumstances necessitate it, there are measures you can take to give your tree a fighting chance. Before you proceed, though, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the basics of planting an apple tree in order to give it the best chance for survival and eventually yielding juicy fruit.
When planting an apple tree, look for one that is grafted. Grafting is the practice of connecting the rootstock, or the bottom part of the tree, to the top of the tree, or the scion. This is done to control the size of the fruit and the type of rootstock used can influence the tree’s drought resistance and hardiness.
It’s especially important to select your apple tree carefully. If you can find a cultivar bred specifically for your region, even better. Make sure that the tree you pick is resistant to a variety of diseases that can affect your crops. And while you’re at it, give your apple tree the largest pot you can accommodate, as it will help it remain healthier and less stressed.
Once you have the apple tree safely in its larger home, fill the container with a high-quality soil blend. Avoid using potting soil, this type of dirt tends to be too packed and could hinder the tree from absorbing the necessary nutrient-rich water. Additionally, avoid using a plastic bag as this can trigger suffocation in the tree due to lack of air.
The last step is do your best to keep the tree watered. Without regular, deep watering, your tree will never reach its full potential and will likely succumb to premature death. You’ll need to water your apple tree in this manner every 7 to 10 days.
By following these steps, you’re giving yourself the best chance of replanting an apple tree in August and making it last. With proper care and love, your apple tree might even bloom and yield lush apples during its first year!
Planting Time
August may not be the ideal month for planting apple trees, as the ideal period for planting or sowing apple trees lays between March and April. At this time of the year, soil temperatures are just right for this type of tree. The warmer months favor an accelerated growth and adaptation.
However, early and late fall can also be suited for planting these trees, given certain precautions. In summer and winter months, the land is too harsh and cold, and accelerates the chances of the tree drying out and dying, as well as adversely affecting the soil’s moisture content.
Additional precautions and preparation of the area (including gardening beds and tree pits) needs to be taken when attempting to plant an apple tree in August. This includes daily monitoring of the temperature and humidity, avoiding transplant shock and compensating for it, making sure the surrounding soil is continuously enriched, and adding organic material to help the tree acclimate faster.
For the best results, it is important to aim for planting in mid-to-late August, constantly analyzing the soil’s conditions and adjusting the tree’s requirements to it.
Transplant Shock
Transplant shock is one of the most common risks when planting an apple tree in August. Transplant shock occurs as a result of the drastic change from one growing environment to a second, usually more hostile one. This shock implies the weakening of the tree, which makes it more susceptible to disease, dehydration, and infection.
Due to the more apparent hostile conditions of the environment during August, apple trees are more prone to transplant shock and related conditions; therefore, additional care and preparedness. This includes the planting at the right time of the year, monitoring the temperature and humidity, applying additional water and nutrition, and amending the soil’s pH level.
It is also important to employ mulching and layering. The leaves produce more shade to make sure the soil is kept moist. This will minimize the effect of direct sunlight and reduce the amount of stress from the process.
Adding an adequate amount of organic material, controlled fertilization, and regular pruning will also help the tree survive the transplant shock quicker and more efficiently.
Trellising
Trellising is another important factor when planting an apple tree in August. Trellising is the act of providing support to the tree in its early stages of growth, as to provide a physical support for the main stem. This process also encourages generative growth, allowing the tree to grow in a capable manner, while avoiding out of control growth.
When establishing a trellising system, it is important to bear in mind that apple trees require multiple components to be managed properly. Depending on the size of the tree and its shape, you may need up to four partial trellises, one at each corner of the base.
Additionally, the types of intervals used in the system must also be taken into account. Depending on the variety of apple tree, the interval between the rules as well as the height of the trellising system needs to be managed from the very beginning to facilitate adequate growth.
It is also important to note that another aspect of trellising the tree correctly is flower thinning. Apple trees require thinning for the blooms to arrive at the full maturity stage, thinning the mature fruit trusses, and avoiding alternate bearing (the tendency of fruiting heavily one year, and sparingly the following).
Fertilizing
Fertilizing is another important factor to consider when planting an apple tree in August. For optimal growth in the apple tree, additional care is required to cover the deficit of nutrients the tree might have due to the environmental conditions. This implies that a controlled, low intensity fertilizer must be applied to the tree.
The optimal solution is to use an organic, OMRI-certified fertilizer, one that is free of hazardous and synthetic materials. Depending on the variety of fertilizer, the amounts may differ on the types of soil and the stage of growth the tree is in.
Meant to cover the deficit of required nutrients to the tree, a controlled fertilizer approach needs to be followed. This implies adding only the nutrients the tree needs and avoiding the use of excessive amounts of this material inadvertently. A fertilizer designed for apple trees is preferred.
Ultimately, the best solution is to get in touch with a professional, as to account for all the nutrients requirements the tree may have, and adapt the fertilizing process to the existing environment.
Pruning
Pruning is a critical factor of the apple tree growth period. Pruning apple trees can lead to healthier, larger and more fruitful trees, as it serves a wide variety of purposes. This includes better yielding and better fruit size, prevent disease, increase air circulation and reduce the need for irrigation and fertilization.
The main objective of pruning an apple tree is to provide it with a structurally sound trunk system, void of crossing branches, sunlight-blocking, or diseased portions. Therefore, an apple tree should be pruned, at the very minimum, once a year.
When planting an apple tree in August, extra care must be taken when pruning it. The active period of the tree is just starting; any mistake during the pruning could lead to every branch (or portion of) removed, resulting in the decrease of the tree productivity.
As a result, when pruning an apple tree to be planted in August, the expert must be on point with the timing and the technique used in the process. It is important to remember that pruning an apple tree too much will not have an accumulative result, as an unwanted growth may occur in branches that were cut the previous year.
In conclusion, while planting an apple tree in August may not be the ideal approach, it is possible if the necessary precautions are taken. These include selecting the right variety, using the proper soil, providing adequate water and irrigation, monitoring the environment, establishing a trellising system, providing proper fertilization, and cautious pruning.
