Apples will usually begin to grow on apple trees by about the 4th year but have the largest harvest when they are between 10-30 years old. These trees grow best in colder climates. Some apple varieties cannot self pollinate and must be planted with another apple tree to aid in pollenization. In the spring apple trees are usually laden with beautiful pink or white blooms. They are truly a spectacular site!
Purchasing & Planting
When purchasing an apple tree buy bareroots that are guaranteed by the seller. Choose larger trees so you will have fruit sooner. Do no purchase apple tree bareroots that are dry, shriveled or with a lot of leaf growth.
To plant your apple tree dig a hole that is 1-½ times as deep as the rootball and twice as wide as the spread of the roots. Prune twisted, broken, or dead roots and branches. Cut back the roots so they are all the same length. Prune back 1/3rd of the top of the tree. Make a mound of soil mixed with compost in the center of the hole. Place the apple tree on this mound and spread the roots over the mound. You want the area where the trunk and roots come together to be at ground level. Place a stake in the hole about 2 ½ inches away from the tree. Be careful not to sever any roots. Firm soil around the stake. Fill the rest of the hole with soil in 3-inch increments. Pack the soil down gently after each addition to get rid of air pockets. Water well and often. You can form a watering basin to be sure your tree gets enough water. Mound soil around the base of the tree about 5 inches from the trunk to form a moat to catch water.
Apple trees must be tied to the stake correctly. Secure with a bank or webbing available at nurseries or garden centers. Rope or twine can actually cut into the apple tree bark as the tree grows. The tie should have a rubber pad to wrap around the tree. Attach the tie in a figure 8 shape about 3 inches below the lowest branch. Remove the tie as the tree grows.
Seasonal Care
For seasonal care begin in early spring. Soak the bareroot apple trees in a tub of water overnight before you plant. In early summer some immature apples may fall off your tree. This is called June drop and is normal. You will want to think the apple crop when the fruit is about the size of a quarter. Leave one apple from each cluster. The fruit needs to be 8-11 inches apart. The following spring prune damaged and vertical branches. Prune horizontal branches in the upper portion of the tree. Fertilize with 5-10-10-fertilizer spread in a circle 17-24 inches from the apple tree trunk. You can tell if an apple is ripe buy examining the seeds. Brown seeds mean an apple is ready to eat.
Keep an eye out for Scab on your apples. This is a fungus that will cause yellow spots on the leaves and fruit. The spots will gradually turn black. Remove the infected fruit and spray with fungicide after the tree is finished growing its fruit.
Varieties of Apples
If red apples are a favorite try Adina that ripens in early summer. It grows well in warm zones 6-9. Winesap, a red apple that ripens in the late summer or fall, is crisp and tart and needs a pollenizer. Another delicious red apple is the Refree that ripens in the middle of the summer. This apple tree is disease resistant and has a sweet flavor. Pink Pearl ripens in the early fall. In spring this apple tree’s blossoms are a red-pink.
For those who love green apples try Granny Smith. These apples ripen in late fall or early winter and grow well in zones 6-9. They are very tart. Gravenstein apples ripen in late summer. This apple is a very poor pollenizer. Garden Delicious apples are ready for picking in mid fall. They are great for a small area as they only grow 4-6 feet tall.
There are many wonderful varieties of Yellow apples. Golden Delicious ripens mid-fall and is disease resistant. Jonagold can be picked early fall and do need a pollenizer. Mutsu apples ripen in mid-fall and are large and spicy. They will not pollinate with other varieties. The Winter Banana apple is ready for picking late fall. This apple smells like a banana and has a very low acid content.
Quick Facts
Most apple trees flower in the spring. Their apples are usually ready to pick from summer to late fall. Apples trees do well in zones 4-9 and prefer full sun for at least 6 hours a day and shelter from the wind. They also need nutritious well balance soil. They can be as narrow as 5 feet or spread out to 25 feet. The apple tree height can.