Apple trees

[Laurasanford111]

Hi

I have two young dwarf apple trees. Can anything be planted underneath them? It says about young trees needing all the nutrients so I don't want to plant something that will make the tree unhappy but also want to pretty it up a bit.

I have made a space around it so it doesn't have grass, just soil, I can add some mulch I guess

First time I've had fruit trees so new to this

I wouldn't. As you say, young trees need all the nourishment they can get. Bare soil is best for a few years.

I'd put some bulbs, like maybe cyclamen coum or iris reticulata (though late for this now), and some autumn crocus. Those won't deplete the soil to any noticeable extent.

No you can't, not because of depletion of nutrients, but all too easy to damage the roots, and hardly anything will want to grow there. Tress take up a huge amount of water. I speak as someone who has grown fruit trees for over 30 years.

Something like forget-me-nots won't rob the soil of nutrients. The tree roots aren't that close to the surface for it to bother them in the slightest. Anyway, you can give them some fertiliser. Trees manage in the wild just fine with all sorts of other stuff growing around them.

I'd leave it a few years so the roots are properly established and you can give it a good top-dressing of well rotted compost.

Once they are strong, healthy trees, planting snowdrops or bluebells underneath won't bother them - I have those and primroses under my more mature trees and they do well.

Creeping thyme, oregano, strawberries, and various other low growing things go under my fruit trees. In fact I almost always put an oregano under a fruit tree thinking about it.

A decent mulch looks very attractive and appropriate. Get a bag of something like Strulch, and see if you like the look of it. If you think it needs something more you can stand some pots of bulbs or bedding on it.

Even dwarf fruit trees should not really have roots this close to the surface. It could be if you're finding they need a huge amount of water, they're planted too shallowly and struggling. Trees have been grown in orchards for centuries, not in bare ploughed earth, because they cope well with this.

Sarah, I do have a little orchard at the bottom of my garden,semi dwarf root stock, they have been there many many years,(over 30)a lot of the roots are visible . Planted in the ground, they require a huge amount of water in the summer months, therefore they will take it first.so any trees we have added,dwarf we have planted in pots..