Advice please. My Gala apple and Victoria plum trees arrived today.
I know, before they are planted I should mix some good compost in the hole but how deep do they need to be planted. Also should they be staked and what size stake should I use. The actual trees at the moment are around 5ft.
Thanks for your help.
Think it depends on the soil you have there as to whether you add compost or not. Mine is heavy clay, and digging a planting hole and then filling it with looser stuff would just create a sump which would fill with water, and might waterlog the roots. So I tend to put a decent mulch of compost around after planting, but not right up against the base of the tree. Dig a hole about a metre square, or more if the roots require it. Make sure you don't plant trees too close together.
Have a good look at the base of the trees, you should see a soil line indicating where they were planted before. The knobbly graft should be about 10 cm above soil level I guess. Put a plank across the hole when its dug to help line the tree up.
I don't stake, but if you want to, then put the stake on the windward side of the tree, so that when the wind blows, it isn't knocking the tree onto the stake.
A stake about 10cm square by about 1.2 metres long will do. Inspect the tie regularly to ensure it doesn't cut into the tree as it grows.