AusBonsai

Hi All,

My neighbour just threw this over the fence for me. Apple tree stump measuring 1100mm high and 120mm across the base.

One or two shoots here and there. Taking suggestions on an appropriate height to chop it.


Thanks

Depends how much firewood you need this winter.

If you plan to try to grow it, leave it as is an put it into a pot. After it has new roots and well established is the time to cut it down further.

Definitely leave the shoots on particularly since it is summer. If this was winter autumn it would have been a different treatment

Thanks Shibui and Akhi,

it spent the night in seasol and now in a grow pot. Fingers crossed it will survive and shoot down low.

Don't worry if it doesn't shoot down low I planted mine just like this and it's shooting backbuds st the top but once it establishes good roots in this growing season I plan to chop hard in winter and that way get the right structure

As above, Seasol ,is always optional but rarely does any harm. Definitely wait until roots are well established before cutting any further.

Thanks for the information.

As i'm new to fruit trees i would like some advise on suckers. Whilst, as predicted Shubui, there are now one or two shoots up high, I noticed over the weekend a shoot/sucker coming out of the medium a good 10+cms away from the trunk. What is your advice on this? Leave it to harvest as a second tree or will this take too much nutrients etc away from main tree?

Do you know if the tree is grafted? If so any suckers will be different to the scion. They may be worth keeping.

Roger

It is very common for apples to produce suckers from the roots, especially when the roots are damaged. I guess that is what is happening here.

It is up to you whether to leave it or get rid of it. I think if it was mine I'd get rid of the sucker to divert as much energy as possible into the main trunk.

Thanks All

RogerW wrote:Do you know if the tree is grafted? If so any suckers will be different to the scion. They may be worth keeping.

Roger

Roger, this is something i have been asking myself. Grafts are usually very easy to spot. But with this one it doesn't seem to be grafted or if it is, it has healed very well. What do you think?

NB: those are saw marks at the bottom of the tree where the neighbour attempted to cut the tree off around ground height.

You can clearly see the graft. It is at the height of the bulge on the left. Different colour and texture to the bark. Below the bulge
Cheers
Kirky

Spot on Kirky. There's a definite change of bark colour at the junction on this one and a very slight change in diameter.
You just need to know what to look for

Thanks guys, much appreciated.

seing a few shoots on this one now