Skip to content
Tuzhi
中文Sign in

Back to the field guide

Apple replant: the old pit is still the old soil

Digging out the tree doesn’t dig out the fatigue.

Same crop again
Speed
  1. The old tree is gone; the same pit remains.
  2. The new tree stays weak, roots don’t explore.
  3. A newly planted tree can yellow from shortage, but an old hole is clearly worse.
  4. Still poor after watering — dig the root.
  5. Don’t plant the old pit with the old recipe; don’t leave old roots in the new root zone.
  6. Change the hole / the soil: Stagger it if you can. This is the most solid step
  7. Name what you see before you feed.
  8. If leaves, roots and the surface disagree, stop.

What you see in the field

The old tree is gone; the same pit remains. The new tree stays weak, roots don’t explore.Patchy dead plants: look at the roots first — knots, brown rot, stained pipes — not the thin white roots of hunger. A rotated neighbour that still looks well is the contrast that counts.

A sketch. Do not fertilise from the picture alone.

Tap to enlarge. The caption says what to photograph. Missing field photos are marked as to-be-added.

Why it looks like this

The field looks like this because the root cannot take water or nutrients the usual way. Fix the soil condition first — drainage, salt, acidity, compaction or a salt of fertiliser — then a thin feed. Rates live in the range on this page; confirm with a local station and the label.

Easy to mix up

  • Looks like “Short of fertiliser”

    A newly planted tree can yellow from shortage, but an old hole is clearly worse.

  • Looks like “Dry weather”

    Still poor after watering — dig the root.

Do this / don’t do that

  1. 1The old tree is gone; the same pit remains. The new tree stays weak, roots don’t explore.
  2. 2Move the station if you can. Fresh soil or substrate. Rotted organic matter in the root zone. Don’t reuse the old water-fertiliser recipe.
  3. 3Don’t plant the old pit with the old recipe. Use the range on this page only as a range. Confirm with a local station and the product label.

Don’t do this first

  • Don’t plant the old pit with the old recipe; don’t leave old roots in the new root zone.

Rate range

Change the hole / the soil

Stagger it if you can

This is the most solid step.

Rootstock

A resistant rootstock, locally

Ask the fruit-tree station.

These are ranges. Confirm with your local extension station and the product label.

Old / diseased roots

Whether the hole was cleaned

It must be cleaned.

Young-tree root colour

Whether replant trouble has started

Brown few, white more.

When you see The old tree is gone; the same pit remains. The new tree stays weak, test. Write the field and the date on the bag.

Lesson video

2026-03-13 · Li Zeyu · For learning. Serious damage: local agronomist or a soil test.

For learning only. Fertiliser and pesticide decisions need a local agronomist and a soil test.

Not sure? Photograph the field to identify the problem