Liberty Apple Tree

Important! Upon Arrival:

Keep moist and cool. Fruits and berries are shipped in dormant form so they can be transplanted out once the soil can be worked in the spring. Light frosts will not damage the plants as they are in the resting stage. If you are unable to plant immediately, the plants can be stored for a short period of time. This should be a dark, cool (but not freezing) location such as an unheated garage, fridge or a cold cellar. Ideally they would be stored as close to 2°C or 35°F as possible. They should also be kept moist, but not wet, until they are planted.

Planting:

An ideal planting day is calm, overcast and even drizzly. If the weather is very warm and breezy it is better to delay until late afternoon if possible. You can temporarily mound soil or compost over the roots and pull out one at a time when ready to plant. Or use a tub with enough water in it to cover the roots with your trees standing in it. Soaking the roots before planting is beneficial, but DO NOT exceed 24 hours or they will drown. Pear tree roots, in particular, will benefit as they do not have many fine feeder hairs.

Plant apple trees 5-6 meters (15-18 feet) apart in the spring in a full sun location with good air circulation and drainage. For best results, two varieties should be planted to ensure successful pollination and fruit production.

Dig a hole large enough to accommodate all of the roots without bending (approx. 18 inches). Place the tree in the hole with the graft union about three inches above the soil surface. You should be able to see the soil mark on the trunk where the tree has been taken out of the ground, it should be planted no deeper than this.

Use topsoil to fill back in the hole once the tree is set in place, and lightly firm to ensure good soil root contact.

Water surrounding the tree to ensure good root establishment. Dormant trees should usually not be watered again until they leaf out. Too much water in dormancy can reduce root development or even drown the tree. After leafing out, your tree should receive a good soaking twice weekly: 15 – 20 litres. Adjust accordingly to rainfall and soil type. Mulching is very helpful to retain moisture.

Trees should be supported or staked for better growth, especially in the first season (permanently for dwarfs). If you are training your tree to a central leader, a stake is needed to keep the leader straight.

Problem Soil:

Clay and soggy soil can be a major problem. If planting in heavy soil is your only option, you may want to dig only a shallow hole and place some loose, sandy topsoil into it approximately 4-5” thick. Set the roots on this topsoil layer, mound soil 6- 12” above the original soil surface over the entire area of the planting hole. The soil mixture for the mound should be a higher percentage of compost to provide good drainage and fertility. Cover the mound with mulch so it won’t dry out too quickly.

Growing:

You may need to stake the tree by using ties that will not girdle or scar the tree’s bark. Using two stakes to ensure that the tree will grow in an upright position for the first two years will be sufficient, after this time the stakes can be removed.  You can fertilize the tree with a 17-17-17 a few weeks after planting, do not fertilize right after planting as this may cause burn to the roots.

Pruning in Year Two and Beyond:

Summer pruning in July-August slows the growth of the limb being pruned and causes some of the buds to change from vegetative buds into fruit buds for the next season. Any pruning done before the tree starts to bear should only be to train the tree for its proper desired shape. 


When pruning any tree, try to follow the 5 D’s of Pruning. The first 4 D’s mean that you can confidently remove any branches that are Dead, Diseased, Damaged, or Dangerous (any branches that pose potential danger to people or surroundings in the area). The final D stands for Design, and this is the stage when you would be focusing on the overall shape of the tree. Ideally you want a central leader with a nice open form that allows for lots of sunlight and air to circulate. 


Never remove more than 1/3 of the branches at one time, or the tree will respond with many tiny branches known as waterspouts.

Orchard Aftercare:

We cannot stress enough the importance of grass and weed control on young trees. Grass can rob young trees of nutrients as they struggle to become established and grow. Also, tree roots are prevented from moving into soil that is controlled by grass roots. Trees are stunted by the competition and the results are apparent for several years, if not longer.

Prevent this from happening by following these instructions: 
Mulch offers such a great advantage that it would be a mistake not to use it with your orchard and berry plants. In addition to enhancing the structure of the soil and providing fertility as it rots, it suppresses weeds and grasses that steal soil nutrients, prevents erosion from wind and rain, keeps soil cooler, helps delay spring bloom in cold climates, and helps retain soil moisture. It also encourages earthworms along with other soil organisms and protects against rapid freezing and thawing of the ground.

Spread a 2-3” minimum thick layer of wood mulch in a 2-3 foot radius around the tree annually in the spring. Spoiled hay, leaf mould, shredded bark, composted manure etc. are great alternatives to wood mulch. 
Avoid mounding it up against the trunk, as it attracts rodents and the trunk area beneath the mulch remains too moist, rotting the trunk’s bark.

Preparing for Winter:

Tree guards are great protection for young trees from rabbits and rodents looking for food in the winter and are highly recommended. If you are using tree guards, we recommend removing them for the summer. Leaving the guards on creates a damp environment in behind the guard and the tree trunk. This can cause cankers and other health issues. In addition, earwigs and other bugs make their home behind the guard.


Your tree needs to be protected from wildlife. The most fool-proof method is creating a cage around each tree using a wire mesh that is ideally 6ft/2m high. A couple of stakes will stabilize the cage.

Tips for Reducing Pest and Disease Pressure:

Orchard Hygiene. Clean away last year’s fruit tree leaves, fallen and mummified fruit which may harbour the spores for next year’s fungus infections. Unless your composter is “hot” enough to destroy disease pathogens, bury or bag and remove each season’s leaves and wasted fruit. When thinning, pick off bitten fruits e.g. curculio-bitten fruits have crescent-shaped wounds. Pick up fruit drops because they are likely pest-bitten fruits that harbour worms. Each fruit you pick up now means one less pest for next year.


Break the Fungus Cycle. Unless you are growing a scab resistant apple (e.g. Liberty, Nova Easy Grow, Williams Pride etc.), scab can be a perennial problem for most apple growers. Apple scab fungus overwinters in the soil under the tree and relies on raindrop spray to launch it back onto the tree come spring. Interrupt this cycle and bury the spores by laying new straw, wood chips or mulch under your dormant trees.


Dormant/Horticultural Oil. This is a product that should be used to help prevent all manner of insect pests and diseases from overwintering on your tree and break their life cycles before the summer.  Spray in early spring before the buds open and when temperatures are above freezing, and carefully follow the instructions on your product.


Sticky Barriers. Paint a ring of Tree Tanglefoot a few feet up the trunk to block ants, Gypsy moths, tent caterpillar larvae, canker worms, and other crawling insects.


Good Sun Exposure and Air Movement will significantly reduce disease pressure. Space and prune fruit trees accordingly.