Thanks again to everyone for your help here. I've taken your advice on board and will hold off with the over enthusiastic watering and feeding, although a bit confused as to whether it will need watering daily while it's so warm and dry. One other question - some of the lower, overgrown branches are now touching the ground/mulch. Do I just leave it be or are they at risk of mould? Noticed some white patches on the leaves of the other two trees now too, which is a whole other subject!
Water less often but more water ... I'd give it a bucket full of water poured slowly over the root area three times a week ... whether it rains or not.
That way the water will soak down and the roots will go down to follow it ... shallow watering means that the roots will stay near the surface and they are then vulnerable to overheating on hot sunny days.
Can we see a photo of the other trees?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
The photos of the leaves are both from the same tree, the one of the spotty trunk is the other. I have no idea which is apple and which is plum, and actually just guessed the one from my original post was the cherry based on its leaves. The white marks are only on the lower leaves and can't be wiped off. The spots on the trunk of the other tree could be completely normal or I'm concerned could be fungus. Of all three, the one with the spotty trunk was the only one that has flowered, although I don't expect fruit this soon after they were planted anyway.
I don’t think you have anything to worry about there. I would put the marks on the leaves down to a bit of weather … sun scorch of tender new leaves and just one of those things. The tree will cope.
The marks in the tree trunk are ‘lenticels’ which form on the trunks of trees and are how the tree trunk ‘breathes’.
Water all your trees as I described. I think they’ll be absolutely fine … but if you’re concerned don’t hesitate to ask.
😊
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Posts
That way the water will soak down and the roots will go down to follow it ... shallow watering means that the roots will stay near the surface and they are then vulnerable to overheating on hot sunny days.
Can we see a photo of the other trees?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
The photos of the leaves are both from the same tree, the one of the spotty trunk is the other. I have no idea which is apple and which is plum, and actually just guessed the one from my original post was the cherry based on its leaves. The white marks are only on the lower leaves and can't be wiped off. The spots on the trunk of the other tree could be completely normal or I'm concerned could be fungus. Of all three, the one with the spotty trunk was the only one that has flowered, although I don't expect fruit this soon after they were planted anyway.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.