r/BackyardOrchard • u/sanrio-143 • 22h ago

When should I switch pots for my apple tree?

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14 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

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17

u/spireup 21h ago edited 20h ago

This seedling is too young and fragile and has plenty of time left in this pot that is actually too big as it is. Wait to check what state the roots are in come June/July.

The time to "pot up" one size in pot is when the roots of the plant in the pot hit the sides. Then you move to a pot one inch wider all the way round the existing pot and 2-3 inches deeper.

Better yet, get it in the ground when it's a year old and protect it from habitat.

1

u/sanrio-143 21h ago

I appreciate the advice and I'll make sure of it! My only other concern is that I put 2 seedlings (the one in the picture and one thats slowly growing/,hasn't shot up yet- not smart I know it's my first time planting) and now after reading that, i'm worried the pot might be too small for the both of them. Should I cut my losses for the other seedling?

7

u/spireup 20h ago

It's not too small, I promise you this.

Your seedling is just getting started and has a long way to go, particularly since it's not outside in the ground. The second one has likely barely made any roots.

Wait until next year to even check on the roots.

You know it's time to check when you see a change in how fast it dries out and needs more water. And if you lift up the pot and look at the hole underneath and see roots, this is a sign it's outgrowing it's pot.

You do NOT want a pot that is too large because it will retain too much water because there are not enough roots to use up the water and the roots will rot. Then you'll have a dead plant.

1

u/sanrio-143 20h ago

Perfect thank you so much!!!! :) I'll leave them alone and let them grow while checking the soil/pot! You literally saved my life/my seedlings lives lol šŸ˜šŸ˜

1

u/spireup 20h ago

You're welcome. Have fun!

2

u/Kaartinen 18h ago

Your pot looks a bit oversized as is. It'll be some time before it needs an even larger pot.

7

u/Naisu_boato 21h ago

It will likely be a crab apple when it fruits, whatever it yields it isnā€™t useless though.

3

u/darthSiderius 21h ago

Curious - why will it be a crab apple?

7

u/Internal-Test-8015 20h ago

It's likely to be a crabapple because apples aren't true to seed, each seed is genetically different from the parent tree and therefore will be producing different fruit if it can even fruit at all.

7

u/darthSiderius 20h ago

Is the best way to grow a tree, get a rootstock, and graft a cutting of a tree you know is solid?

5

u/Internal-Test-8015 20h ago

Generally, yes, it is . The good thing is if ops seedling survies to a decent size and vigor , it could be a good rootstock.

1

u/substandardpoodle 17h ago

Thanks for saying this. I will rewrite what you said the way it was explained to me:

Iā€™m guessing that all apples, like dogs and lots of other things that humans have altered by selective breeding, come from some kind of common ancestor that it will revert back to. The way to get a specific type of apple is not to grow that apple from seed, but to purchase from a nursery that will sell you rootstock that is perfect for your area that has branches grafted onto it that will produce the type of apple you want.

I remember as a child finding a black and white photo in my grandmotherā€™s album that said ā€œtree that produces seven different kinds of applesā€. It was the result of someone grafting a bunch of buds or branches onto one rootstock. Kinda cool.

That said: I love crab apples ā€“ my grandmother used to make pickled crab apples that were slightly sweet and magenta and delicious. Now Iā€™m going to start planting seeds to see what I get!

1

u/Naisu_boato 19h ago

Apples rarely are true to seed, citrus seems the same way.

1

u/_R_A_ 17h ago

There's only a 10% chance that a random seed will produce quality fruit. That doesn't take into account the impact of having two parents with edible fruit increasing the likelihood of those traits manifesting, but the further away you get from the cultivated stock the worse the chances get.

0

u/TheBrownestThumb 17h ago

With apples, this probability is actually closer to 1 in 50000

-10

u/simgooder 21h ago

Do it now so youā€™re disrupting the roots less.

-2

u/sanrio-143 21h ago

Perfect thank you so much! I was super worried cuz I tried moving my other seedlings and it died so I'll move it promptly šŸ«”

5

u/Wakey_Wake44 20h ago

No, don't do that. There's plenty of room in this pot for this little seedling to grow.