alexcordero
Newly Registered
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2017 9:31 am

Apple tree won't grow

Hello everyone,

I purchased a young apple tree from Lowe's about two years ago. The tiny tree is very much alive but won't grown. It blossomed a few times, but at the wrong time, so it appears "confused"--for lack of a better word. The tree received water and attention. Hence it's still planted in the middle of the lawn. Further, the tree survived a drought, hard rains (hard for Ca.). I don't think that we're doing anything out of the ordinary. The leaves are curled and have been for a long time; I don't remember how long and I found some snails and grubs near the roots. Last week, I dug out the soil to check the roots and didn't find anything that I considered unusual.

I attached some pictures, and maybe someone can offer advice.

Alex
Attachments
0312171822aresized.jpg
0312171823a.jpg

JONA
Greener Thumb
Posts: 812
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2014 7:11 am
Location: Sussex. England

Hi alexcordero,
I suspect you have bought a duff tree.
The leaves look mildewed and under stress even as you say the tree is well watered. You do not say what stock it's on. A very poorly grafted 9, 26, or 27 can be very stunted and refuse to grow at all.
Have you tried tipping back on all the shoots?
A shock can sometimes do the trick.
If not......try again with a better tree.
Good luck

alexcordero
Newly Registered
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2017 9:31 am

Hi John, what do you mean by "stock"? I've never heard the term. I looked at some other websites that include pictures of apple trees with curled leaves like mine. The website indicates that it may need potassium. Do you have any opinions on that?

Thanks for your reply.

JONA
Greener Thumb
Posts: 812
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2014 7:11 am
Location: Sussex. England

Hi,
Potassium is vital to a healthy fruit tree..but it's role is more prominent when the tree is in fruit as it's the fruit that has a high need of the element. By all means add a little pot nitrate around the tree as this will give it a nitrogen boost too.
As regards " stock".
To grow and propagate any variety of apple you have to either take a cutting and graft it onto something....or take a cutting and try and get it to root.
If you just plant a pip the tree that grows will not be the same as the mother tree. You will only have half the genes of the mother tree.....who knows where the bee got the other half from.
Now if you take a cutting and get it to root it will grow true to the variety...but...it may grow tall, it may grow short, and it will have no protection from soil born viruses etc.
No grower wants trees in his orchard that are all over the place in size and strength of growth.
Over many years a whole range of root stocks have been developed that give the growers the controls they want. It's onto one of these that the cuttings ( scions) are put.
These stocks have numbers to show their strength....9.. 27....106....etc. However to make it more difficult for the gardener these numbers are not in numerical order as regards the trees growing strength. So you need to check which size tree you want to finish with, then check up which stock number you need for that hight.
Most good garden centres and nurseries will carry a small range trees on the most popular stocks and the tree should have label which shows variety and rootstock number.
Hope that explains it.



Return to “Apple Topics”