Two weeks ago I planted a Granny Smith and a Fuji Apple tree, both around 7 feet tall and 1 inch or so in diameter. I dug the holes to the right specification, used specific soil conditioner, bought them from a reputable local nursery, mulched, and have been watering about 1 in a week. The Fuji is beginning to get some small holes in the leaves, otherwise looks healthy. The Granny Smith has begun to lose its flowers over the last week and the leaves though not falling off are wilting. My questions are 1. Is this normal transplant shock the tree will recover from? And 2. Should I be waiting to spray an insecticide or should I be doing that now? Thank you!!

I think you should water them. Put a little sprinkler under the tree and water until the water starts to puddle.

Did you prune them after you planted?

I did not prune them.

Sounds like typical transplant shock. The holes could be from snails.

They climb up my lemon tree when it's cold and humid.

I'm surprised yours had flowers still. It's a little past the flowering season, for these trees.

I water mine, it's 13 years old, with 1-2 gallons of water per week. That keeps it happy!

Fruit trees need pruning right from the beginning. As your trees are 7 ft tall and flowering, I assume they aren't bareroot but, instead, came in a pot. Perhaps they were pruned the first year but, to have a healthy fruiting tree, they must be pruned properly every year. Maybe this will help.

https://hortnews.extension.ias...

They won't need fertilizer this year, but they do need water that soaks deeper than the bottom of the root systems. Roots follow water so the only way trees can grow a good sturdy root system is to provide adequate water. After the tree is established you can water less.

PS: It has been shown more than once that buying a larger tree does not mean you will have fruit sooner. Larger trees are more prone to shock so acclimate slower - the smaller trees always catch up in a year or two.