Allotments 4 All

I was given a 7ft sapling with 2 main branches, really sturdy, self seeded in someone's garden and they thought I might like it, so I have it, she kept it soaked for 24 hrs in bucket of water til I collected it and I put it straight into the bottom of what was my old compost heap as I figured it would be nice earth for it.

ALL the leaves are wilting and it looks pretty pathetic - have I messed up or is this the norm??

Not too worried as it was free but I d hate to b*gger anyting up!!

First of all, are you sure that you want an unnamed tree in your garden/allotment? It is not on a proper rootstock and it may never be successful. If I were you I would get another one from a graden centre or supplier and plant it as well.

Both trees will survive, even the one you have now, and it will be not such a wrench to cut it down if it is no good.

You need to look up the myriad of reasons for not relying on a self seeded sapling.

http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments1_homepage.html

Trees of that size, whether or not self seeded, really don't like being uprooted at this time of year. The best time to do this would be in winter when the plant is dormant. The main problem will be getting the fine feeder roots to start taking up moisture, I'd guess there will have been some damage to them when dug up. They need to be well firmed into the soil, to be honest, possibly the compost heap soil may be a bit too loose.
I'd agree with what allaboutliverpool says. If you want fruit for certain, get yourself a named apple tree from a nursery (or better still, get two) and also, I would order it now for delivery in winter.

Thanks folks, not too fussed tbh, she thougt she was being kind, I did too, but I really am not too  bothered  :o

Thanks for the advice :)

Lots of people have grown seedlings in the last; it used to be a regular way of producing fruit trees. You planted your pip, waited for the fruit, and if the tree was any good, you kept it. That's how many old varieties came about. But it's slow, as the tree won't, obviously, be on a modern rootstock, and it's hit and miss.