Transplanting apple

[Richard C]

Greetings, We bought a few acres in the high desert. I have here apple trees I would like to plant out there where they can bear fruit, the season is too short here in the mountains. The trees are about 4' tall. Can I wait until they go dormant and dig them up and bind the roots with cloth to be moved? Like to hear your thoughts. Thankyou

Richard

 

[Iron Head]

You should dig a new hole and mulch it well now.
Wait until dormant and transplant.
Don't have to wrap nothing.

Another question, is the rootstock appropriate for the soil type?
This is very important. Might as well buy a new tree with the correct rootstock type than plant the wrong rootstock and not producing well.

 

[beastmaster]

I dug up and transplanted a small apple tree once. It went into shock and I thought I had lost it, but ended up being a robust nice tree.
To bad you didn't cut some of the roots last fall. That can lessen the shock. Try to get as much of the rootball as you can.
If your trees are established well where there at, you might be better off just starting with new stock that is suited for the area your planting.