Leaning dwarf apple trees - salvagable?

Phantomfyre · #1 10/29/08, 01:59 PM

The previous owners of this place planted some fruit trees along the property a few years back, and the trees are pretty well mature now. (Guessing about 10-12 years old.) None of them had been pruned or cared for properly, but I'm trying to get them back in shape.

2 of them are dwarf apple trees, both of which were staked poorly and improperly, so I removed the bungee cords, girdling ropes, etc. Last winter, one of them blew sideways and is leaning on my horse fence. The second one blew over the other way in a wind storm this summer and is now laying over the property line.

I'm wondering if it's even worth the time and effort to try to pull them back upright and re-stake them, or if I should just cut them down and start over. Both of them seem to be decent apple varieties (don't know what) but the trees weren't in great shape to begin with, so maybe I should just throw in the towel on those two? They have produced decent apple crops for us, but the one that fell last winter didn't do much this year. Maybe they never will again?

So what say you? Stake 'em or whack 'em?

Callieslamb · #2 10/29/08, 05:02 PM

I thought Dwarf trees only produced for about 10 years anyway, so if they were that age, I would whack them. Maybe you should replant, leaving those two there for a couple years until the new ones start to produce? I would hate to be without apples. If you have plenty of others, then I would whack.

Callieslamb · #3 10/29/08, 05:04 PM

I thought Dwarf trees only produced for about 10 years anyway, so if they were that age, I would whack them. Maybe you should replant, leaving those two there for a couple years until the new ones start to produce? I would hate to be without apples. If you have plenty of others, then I would whack. It sounds like they are in a bad place anyway.

Marcia in MT · #4 10/29/08, 05:28 PM

Although they've leaned, they still have a bigger root system than anything else you'd be planting, and that's worth saving. I'd stake them *properly*, prune them properly, and keep them watered.

Best of luck!

beehoppers · #5 10/29/08, 05:34 PM

It's my understanding that the root stock that makes the tree a dwarf does the dwarfness by being very small. It is recommended that dwarf trees remained staked their entire life...

Phantomfyre · #6 10/29/08, 06:48 PM

There are 3 other standard apple trees here - all 3 are the same variety of some very late-maturing green - possibly Granny Smith. I guess I can try to hang onto these 2 dwarfs (2 different reds) for a while longer and get something else planted pronto - good thing the Fedco Trees catalog arrived last week! I already know there's a Honeycrisp with my name on it! But it'll be a standard, because based on my experience with these 2 dwarfs, and hearing that dwarf fruit trees need to be staked for their lifetime, I seriously doubt I'll ever be inclined to plant a dwarf tree. Seems like if you've got the space, they're more trouble than they're worth - short lifespan, needs coddling, weak root system...

The location of this orchard is a whole 'nother topic...

If I'm going to try to save these things, I need to figure out how to get them upright again. I have a small tractor and a chain - that'll take care of the vertical challenge. Keeping them that way? I have t-posts, and guess I can pick up some sturdy rope or cable at the hardware store, need a way to keep that cable from cutting into the trunk - don't want to cut up one of my hoses. Ideas?

Theresa Lipe · #7 10/29/08, 08:38 PM

I have a pear tree that broke in two but not a clean cut. I left it and we were able to pick a five gallon bucket of pears today. It is like a bush.

NickieL · #8 10/30/08, 09:31 AM

I've never had to stake my dwarf trees.......now and then I had to prop a branch up with a board becasue of all the fruit, but I've never had to stake them. In my oppinion, stakeing trees weakens them.

Marcia in MT · #9 10/30/08, 03:17 PM

We've always used sections of hose to cushion our staked trees. You need something similar -- sturdy but giving. If you don't have any old hoses (we always seem to have a leaky one around . . .), you could use a section of old bike (or other) inner tube. Failing that, buy the absolute cheapest & shortest you can find, as you're going to cut it up anyway.

How about thickly wrapping the section of rope/wire with old nylons? Strips of cloth?

Stake with at least 2 stakes (one into the prevailing wind, or at least on the side away from which they leaned), but we usually use 3. Don't tighten the supports too much -- a bit of play will give the roots the sway in the wind that they need to grow strong.

The nursery guy told us that trees are only supposed to be staked for a year after transplanting -- two at the very most.

Best of luck!

Phantomfyre · #10 10/31/08, 08:08 AM

I guess I should do what I can for these guys. I mean, if they managed to survive the previous owners' abuse and neglect, they deserve my support. (Pardon the pun.) I'm sure I can scrounge up an old hose somewhere. Freecycle or something. I just hope I can keep these things upright - they're probably about 10' tall (or they were before they fell over) and have trunks 4-5" in diameter. Not small, so will take some doing to pull them up and hold them there! I'd leave them lay, except the one is on my horse fence and is shorting out the electric and the other is laying on the neighbor's lawn, and the neighbor is less than thrilled.

I guess I may as well prune the tops since I can easily reach them right now, LOL.

Glad to hear that the problem may have been that the previous owners should have removed the stakes long ago, and that leaving them didn't allow the trees to toughen up like they should have when they were young. The thought of permanently staked trees makes me twitchy - to my way of thinking, that just ain't right!

Thanks for your help and advice, everyone!