You know what they say, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Well what if you had a whole bushel of apples right in your backyard?

Planting an apple tree is not as hard as it sounds. One of the first steps is selecting a site to plant your tree. Apple trees need direct sunlight and full sun all day for best fruit production.

After finding the location to plant your tree, you can then dig a hole deep enough to reach the ‘crook’ in the tree, or graft union. It is also important to make the hole wide enough to contain the roots.

Whenever you plant a fruit tree it is very important to never add fertilizer, instead add fertilizer about a week after planting. The next step would be to water the tree right after planting and saturate the soil

The next thought after successfully planting your tree is maintenance. Apple trees need to be watered at least once a week with a goodly amount of water.

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After the tree has settled and has grown a good amount, pruning is necessary. Pruning should be done in the winter months and all broken and damaged branches should be removed.

Branches should be 18-24 inches long and there should be five to eight branches equally dispersed on the tree. This allows the tree to continue to grow healthily.

Sunset Landscaping has apple and many other fruit trees to accommodate your needs. They are located at 23256 Lyons Ave, Santa Clarita CA 91321-2633. Or you can call 661-255-8777 with any questions.

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