Apple trees

[Jcmmaple]

So I have recently had people asking if I want stuff they have they want to get rid of, apparently the word is spreading. Anywho, a guy I work with told me to ride by today he had something I might be interested in. Well 2 apple trees in an over grown garden that he wanted gone, they look good so I said yes. Do I treat it like any other collected material and wait till spring to chop and dig up?

 

[Shibui]

I would dig and chop apples in one operation in spring. Bare root and cut the roots way back to fit a pot. These can take it and sooner or later you will need to cut the bigger roots short enough to fit in a bonsai pot.
Be careful of bringing in woolly aphid. These pests live on the roots as well as the stems of apple trees over here and may also be in your area. Difficult to get rid of after they get established so better to attack them before they get a foothold.

Not sure what sort of bonsai you will be able to get from these - I don't think I'd bother with either of them - but you will learn a lot about digging and transplanting trees.

 

[rockm]

I would dig and chop apples in one operation in spring. Bare root and cut the roots way back to fit a pot. These can take it and sooner or later you will need to cut the bigger roots short enough to fit in a bonsai pot.
Be careful of bringing in woolly aphid. These pests live on the roots as well as the stems of apple trees over here and may also be in your area. Difficult to get rid of after they get established so better to attack them before they get a foothold.

Not sure what sort of bonsai you will be able to get from these - I don't think I'd bother with either of them - but you will learn a lot about digging and transplanting trees.

Ditto! what shibui said. Apples are tough customers and can take aggressive collection.

However, as mentioned they are BUG MAGNETS. Wooly aphids are probably the most common pest on apples (and by "common" I mean you will get infestations of them constantly) only one of the insects that love apples. borers, green aphids, most any chewing insect like apples too.

 

[Jcmmaple]

Well I have enough to do, so maybe I will pass. I don’t need unwanted work to keep up with. Thanks