[AlaninCarlisle]

My fruit trees are all over 30 years old. I've accepted that I need to replace the plum but the apple trees are fruiting less and less each year.

Is it a bad idea to plant new trees in the area from which I've removed the old trees? Obviously I'll replace a lot of the soil with soil from other areas but I'll not be able to replace it all

[solway cropper]

I don't think fruit trees generally suffer from many soil-borne diseases so I wouldn't bother replacing soil. I have a big old cooker which is an erratic and poor cropper and will be coming down this winter. I'll be putting a Howgate Wonder in its place but far enough away so I can actually dig a hole through the tangle of old roots.