Eoin says after receiving bare-rooted trees it is very important not to allow them to dry out. They should be stored in a cool dry place like an open shed. Roots need both oxygen and water. That is why they need to be kept damp but not saturated at all times. Roots may be kept moist in the damp environment of their packaging or wrapped in damp newspaper, while waiting to be planted. If for some reason you cannot sow the trees soon after purchase, Eoin says it can be a good idea to heel the trees in the soil.

This involves lifting a sod of soil and creating a gap in the earth large enough to place the roots inside for the time being. By heeling in, the roots will be protected from frost and kept moist before they are finally planted properly.

The materials needed for sowing apple trees include a fork, a spade, timber one-inch stakes, tree guards, a crowbar, a mallet, tree collars and some form of fertiliser can be beneficial once not applied excessively. Eoin says to always try to plant the trees in dry weather. He says to be aware that a hole with loose soil is likely to drain water from surrounding waterlogged or compacted ground. This can cause wet conditions in the tree’s rooting zone. In this case, it is best not to plant in early winter but to leave it until the springtime when the tree is just beginning transpiration.

Make sure to sow the trees in the LPIS number set out in your GLAS plan. The area must be 0.05ha containing 10 fruit trees and each tree must be 7m apart. The trees can be planted in a row or a group once they are far enough apart.

Apple trees feed almost exclusively in the topsoil. They do not have tap roots. Therefore they compete for nutrients with grass and other vigorous herbaceous plants and the vegetation around the trees should be controlled. Once you select the area to sow the tree, drive the crowbar into the ground. Remove the top sod of clay approximately 2ft radius around the crow bar. This creates a 4ft diameter circular hole in the ground.

When all the sod is removed in the circle, loosen the soil with the fork. If soil is poor you may add well-rotted farmyard manure. Add no more than two fork fulls and mix well with the soil.

Next, drive the timber stake into the centre of the hole using the mallet until the stake holds firm. Plant the tree to the same soil level as it was nursed, just above the root level. Eoin says there is usually a colour difference at this point of transition from soil level to over ground level. Keep the graft union above soil level to prevent the variety developing its own roots. Spread out the roots in all directions. Because the soil is loosened, roots will more likely grow in every direction and this will help anchor the tree in the future. Firm the soil around the roots and place the earlier removed sods back where they came from, but this time inverted.

Tie the tree to the stake using a rubber collar. The collar should be screwed into the stake to prevent it from moving. Next, use a tree guard or chicken wire to protect the lower trunk from strip-barking by hares or rabbits. This is necessary for the first few years of a tree’s life. Eoin has a great method of preventing vegetation growing around the outer perimeter of the freshly planted tree. He suggests cutting out the top disc of plastic wrap from a bale of silage, cutting a 4in square out of the centre of this disc and placing it on top of the clay surrounding the tree. That way, vegetation cannot grow through and compete with the tree. It is vital that the plastic does not come in contact with the tree because this might cause dampness and rot might set in. In addition, the area directly around the tree that is not covered with plastic should be kept weed-free, clean and dry.

Tree labels may fade/break over time. Do not forget to make a copy of all label details and make a map of your tree plantation: variety, rootstock, etc. Remember the area has to be fenced off. In GLAS, sheep are allowed to graze around the trees but this should only be allowed to happen when the trees are established and their branches are high enough to be out of reach. Too much nitrogenous nutrition is as bad as too little. If a tree grows too fast it may be susceptible to disease. The optimum growth is slow and steady. It is more important to keep the root zone weed free than to fertilise.