- 1). Test the soil surrounding your body of water. Apple trees prefer soils with a pH level between 6.0 and 6.5. Follow the recommendations in the test results to replace any missing nutrients in your planting site. Incorporate equal amounts of sand and organic material, such as straw or shredded bark, to improve the soil porosity in heavy clay soils. Heavy soils often surround bodies of water. Use a garden tiller to work the soil amendments into the top 12 to 16 inches of soil.
- 2). Dig the holes for your apple trees on the high areas of soil surrounding your pond or lake. Dig down about 24 inches to check for water seepage. If the holes are dry at this depth, replace the backfill to a depth that allows the surface of the trees' rootballs to remain equal with the surrounding soil. Carefully remove your trees from their pots and place them in the prepared holes. Hold the trees upright while scooping the backfill around the rootballs.
- 3). Create a small dam on the low side of the tree trunks. Use your shovel to build up a semicircle of soil just outside the edge of the underlying rootball. Build the top height of the dam even with the soil on the high side of the rootballs, creating a level area surrounding the trunks of your apple trees. Soak the soil around your newly planted trees. Water deeply whenever the soil near the roots shows signs of dryness.
- 4). Apply a nitrogen fertilizer about one month after planting the trees. Broadcast a granulated fertilizer in a 2-foot radius around the base of your trees, avoiding contact with the bark or foliage. Reapply your nitrogen fertilizer each year during the months of April, May and June. Follow the dosing instructions on the fertilizer package.
- 5). Prune off broken branches as soon as they appear. Perform regular pruning sessions during the dormant winter season. Remove crowded lateral branches to form open canopies. Trim down the lateral branches to a height about 20 to 28 inches below the central leader, forming a dome-shaped canopy. Prop young side branches away from the trunks with clothespins, creating a 50- to 60-degree angle.
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