Medium sized apple tree

Cliecost

Hi,

I have a medium sized Cox apple tree that I want rid of.

How hard is it to get shot of them?

I want to replace in it's place a more useful apple tree like a Bramley apple, would this require total removal of the roots?

Also, one last thing, I don't fancy paying for someone to remove it and it's nearly impossible to rent a chainsaw so, would it relatively easy to cut the tree down with a saw and axe?

Here's the tree:

radiohelen

Just out of curiosity why is a Bramley more useful than a Cox. Cox's taste nicer, they are just as good in cooking because they retain their shape and taste nicer, the tree is already grown and productive so no waiting! I say keep the tree and blow the Bramleys.. They are just fluff when cooked and unless you get a heritage cooking apple, they taste of very little. IMHO of course - feel free to disregard!

Cliecost

radiohelen wrote: »

Just out of curiosity why is a Bramley more useful than a Cox. Cox's taste nicer, they are just as good in cooking because they retain their shape and taste nicer, the tree is already grown and productive so no waiting! I say keep the tree and blow the Bramleys.. They are just fluff when cooked and unless you get a heritage cooking apple, they taste of very little. IMHO of course - feel free to disregard!

To be honest I don't eat apples at all it's just for cooking and in an apple pie ect I think a good bramley couldn't be beat, I just hate the millions of leaves and apple that drop on my lawn and I though a bramley would produce less and for a while less leaves too?

Farway

I have to agree with radiohelen, just use the Cox for cooking. All apples have leaves, and will drop them in the Autumn

For the windfalls, or surplus cox, why not just collect them & give them away?

I used to do this with all my windfalls, you will be surprised just how quickly they go

Cliecost

Farway wrote: »

I have to agree with radiohelen, just use the Cox for cooking. All apples have leaves, and will drop them in the Autumn

For the windfalls, or surplus cox, why not just collect them & give them away?

I used to do this with all my windfalls, you will be surprised just how quickly they go

How heavily could this tree be pruned?

wallbash

Get rid of the cox , why grow a tree you don't want.
Forget about a Bramley , how many pies do really want to eat.

Ps Buy a new saw , don't try it with an old one. But removing is possible.

cootambear

why do you want rid?

not arguing with you, just asking

valk_scot

Well, I've taken a tree that size down, and I'm 5'4" tall. Start at the top and take it down branch by branch, supporting the end of the branch you're cutting with a rope so it doesn't fall on the head of whoever is steadying the ladder. Once you've reduced it to a pole, cut it down to a convenient height to use as a lever to get the stump out. You'll have to dig down at this point to sever all the main roots.

However you can't just put another tree in the same place, especially another of the same species. You need to give it a couple of years minimum for the roots to decay and the soil to recover, plus any apple specific diseases and parasites to die down as they will attack a new and vunerable tree. But tbh I wouldn't plant another tree that close to your house anyway. For every metre height of mature tree, you need to be one metre away from the house otherwise you may just get into trouble with the roots under the foundation. Actually you're going to have to be careful about taking the existing tree down for that very reason. If it's extremely close to the house, say within twelve feet, get a professional to look at it first otherwise root shrinkage might cause problems.

You'll get just as many windfalls and as much leaf fall from a Bramley as a Cox of course, so if that's one of the main reasons for replacing it don't bother. I do agree with you however that a Bramley is a very useful apple tree to have, especially if you like cooked apples. I inherited three apple trees in my garden and they're all a bit mehh tbh, even the Cox type. I'ver left them in though, they're pretty. I planted a Bramley on the allotment though!

rubytuesday

I had an apple tree that I had planted in the wrong place and didn't really have room for so I dug it up and it is now flourishing in my neighbour's garden - I couldn't have just got rid of an established tree!

I agree with everyone else just use the cox for cooking.

rubytuesday

Isn't that a shed in the pic?

Cliecost

rubytuesday wrote: »

Isn't that a shed in the pic?

Yes it is.