[WOODY7]

Having just aquired my allotment it has 3x fruit trees 1plum 1apple and 1 im unsure of , i have two questions firstly around the bottom of the trees it is overgrown with weeds/grass i was thinking of fertilising the area then covering with a thick layer of tree bark to stop the weeds would this work or should i put cardboard inbetween ?     Secondly the previous tenant pruned the apple tree virtually right back to the main trunk leaving 3" branches will this eventually recover ? thanks any help appreciated

[Yorkie]

I would remove the weeds and grass for 1m circumference around the trunk.  You can feed if you want although the expert on this morning's local gardening show said he didn't bother feeding trees.

Cardboard would contribute to the effectiveness of the mulch.  Make sure the mulch doesn't actually touch the tree trunk.

As for the pruning, how old / big is the tree?

[WOODY7]

hi thanks , i would say the tree is roughly 7ft tall couldnt say how old

[Yorkie]

Well it doesn't sound like the sort of pruning my apple tree got yesterday  but I wouldn't give up on it yet.  You may find that you get little crop this year - it will take a small while for the tree to put on more growth, but persevere I think.

[snowdrops]

If you use the cardboard water it well before you put the bark on the top.