Apple Tree Help needed
The Bargain Hunters amongst you may remember I bought a Bramley Apple tree a couple of weeks ago, when Aldi had them going at daft prices. The problem is, I've not been able to plant it (ground is frozen solid), and rather than leave it outside where it would have frozen & died, I've stupidly left it in the kitchen, with the roots in a bucket, still in the wrap, but with some holes punched in the bottom and a couple of inches of water in the bucket, so it wouldn't die from lack of water.
The problem I have is that my TLC has caused it, literally overnight, to burst into leaf. I'd noticed it had buds on last week, but this morning I've come downstairs and there are leaves at the top and on the end of some of the twiggy bits, and lots more buds have appeared. It's even colder outside, but I really don't want to leave it in the kitchen (it's a very small kitchen, so it takes up valuable space, I have to shift it everytime the dog needs to go out!).
Do you think it would be safe to put it in a big pot (I'm thinking of one of those trug type things), and cover it with fleece, and put it outside? The rest of my fruit trees are still dormant, no buds, so I really don't want to put it outside if it will die. I don't have a greenhouse, so will I have to put up with it in the kitchen? Think I will have to do something soon, as there's no soil to speak of around it's roots (only that in the rootball bag)
Any constructive advice would be good!
Posts
This week-get it outside in the daytime -bring it in at night till this cold snap goes-it needs hardening off now
It thinks it is Spring in your nice warm kitchen
Get it planted asap-probably after the weekend
I would have put it in a big pot outside when it came MMP. It's hardy. I think it's more likely to die in a centrally heated house than outside. Now, I'd pot it up and put it outside but as it has new leaves I''d fleece it or bring it back in when it's really cold at night. Cold can't go on for much longer (please)
In the sticks near Peterborough
MMP, I bought an apple tree in Aldi last November and planted it in my allotment that same day 2 weeks later it burst into leaf , I was so worried about this that I posted on this forum the reply I got was , the tree was stored in warm conditions in the wear house and shop and thought it was spring ,it now has new leaf growth and flower buds ,but as was said earlier by Sotongeoff and nutcutlet ,plant it by next weekend .
Derek