Help! I just received some apple trees in the mail from a nursery in
California which are starting to leaf out already. The soil here is
thawed but still quite muddy- is it better to plant trees in wet soil
or to hold them once they have leafed out? Is it that critical either
way? I will be digging with a shovel so I can be careful, but I will
definitely impact soil structure for the worse, and risk leaving the
tree stuck in a compacted "pot" in the ground. Any experienced apple
growers out there with any suggestions?