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How to create a well-drained soil for dwarf apple tree

policarpo.eva4CBkB0cdpolicarpo.eva4CBkB0cd Posts: 2
edited December 2020 in Problem solving
Hi everyone, I live in the West of Ireland which is notoriously wet. I have a dwarf crab apple tree (Malus coralcole) to plant in a raised flower bed in our back garden (110x68cm and maybe 50 or 60cm deep. I'm quite a beginner with trees, how to I make sure I create a well-drained soil for this tree? Should I add a mix of soil and grit? Do I mix them together or in layers? Just having an idea of what I should be doing would greatly help!! Many thanks in advance! Sorry this is not a problem solving post but I'm new here and don't know how to change that!!!

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Most of my garden is in raised beds. I just use a mix of soil [which was originally turf from another part of the garden ] compost, and any organic matter. I didn't use grit, but I mixed in quite a lot of the gravel which covered most of the rear garden. I grow all sorts of plants in them - shrubs, clematis, bulbs and perennials. I've just moved a philadelphus from one, and the soil was lovely in it.
    I add old compost each year from the sweet peas and salad crops etc. 
    Once there's plants in it too - they help counteract the amount of rainfall. We get a fair old bit of it here too  ;)  
     
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    @Fairygirl's advice is good.  A 50-60cm deep raised bed will be fine for giving your tree good drainage, even without adding grit, I reckon - though some grit or gravel wouldn't hurt.  Organic matter is the most important thing to add to your soil to improve its texture, either garden compost you've made yourself, or bought stuff - you can get composted manure in bags from the garden centre, or - if you need enough of it - I can recommend Clare Topsoil for dumpy sacks of compost.  It's made from municipal green waste, described as a "peat-free organic mixture".  (They sell soil too.)  There are probably other suppliers near you.  I'd mix the soil and organic matter together, and grit too, if you're using it.  And, as Fairy says, an annual top dressing of compost is worth doing.
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • policarpo.eva4CBkB0cdpolicarpo.eva4CBkB0cd Posts: 2
    Thanks guys will give it a go. At the moment the soil in the bed has at least 50% gravel which really seems like a lot to me?? I will mix in some soil and organic matter as advised. Thanks for the advice everyone! 
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