for the previous 37 years. The soil was a fine sandy 

 loam, with a pH of 6.8 and an organic matter content of 

 4.7% before the addition of fertilizer or compost. 

 Macoun/B. 9 apple trees were planted using a tractor- 

 mounted tree planter on May 1,1998 into plots that had 

 received one of the following combinations of pre- 

 plant treatments: 1 ) urea fertilizer without compost; 2) 

 MAP fertilizer without compost; 3) both compost and 

 urea; and 4) both compost and MAP. Each plot 

 consisted of three trees at a spacing of 6 feet between 

 trees and 18 feet between rows. Cortland/B. 9 trees 

 were planted as a buffer between plots. Prior to 

 planting, MAP was applied to the plots at a rate of 332 

 lbs. per acre and urea at a rate of 79 lbs. per acre, so that 

 each treatment received an equivalent amount of N 

 (1 .44 oz. per tree). Apple-pomace compost was spread 



over the planting strip and leveled to a uniform 

 thickness of 4 inches. All plots were then roto-tilled to 

 a depth of 6 inches. The trees were unfeathered whips, 

 headed to a height of 28 inches at planting. The trees 

 were attached to a galvanized conduit stake supported 

 by a single wire at 7 feet. The trees were minimally 

 pruned, and trained to the vertical axis system. 

 Insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides were applied 

 as needed. 



Results 



Tree growth was increased by compost, but not by 

 MAP. Compost increased trunk diameter in the first 

 two seasons, but by the third season, trunk diameter 

 was similar in both plots (Figure 1). Annual shoot 



;£ 0.8 



"S 0.6 



E 



CD 



^ 0.4 



-^ 



c 



.- 0.2 H 



I I No Compost 

 H Compost 



200 



One" 



Two' 



Three 



One* 



Two Three 



Two 



Three* Four 



Three' 



Figure 1 . Tree growth characteristics with and without pre-plant-incorporated compost. * Indicates that 

 compost had a significant effect in the indicated year after planting. 



Fruit Notes, Volume 67, Winter, 2002 



