Success with Apple Trees
Reading Time: 4 minutes
by Jenny Underwood Apple trees are one of the best things you can have on a homestead, providing beauty, shade, and delicious fruit. So how do you go about picking the perfect trees? Take several things into consideration.
First, consider your space and how many trees you can accommodate. Different heights are also available; dwarf, semi-dwarf, and standard. Dwarf trees get 8 to 10 feet tall/ wide; semi-dwarfs are 12 to 15 feet tall/wide, and standard trees are 18-plus feet tall/wide. The dwarf trees provide a good amount of fruit in a small area. Semi-dwarfs give the most fruit per square foot, and standard bear large amounts of fruit while living for the longest time.
There are many beautiful varieties to choose from. It’s a good idea to pick disease-resistant varieties, like Freedom and Liberty, to reduce the amount of spraying you will need to do. These trees are highly resistant to many diseases and fungi that plague apple growers. Research your area and ask successful apple growers what they planted and why. Make sure you only buy trees rated for your growing climate. Buy from reputable nurseries that guarantee their trees, and check your zone with the zone for each specific variety. I’ve had success with Stark Bros Nursery, which has specific requirements for each tree. Most apple trees require crosspollination to produce fruit, and a few are self-pollinating, but all do better with cross-pollination. This means you will need two different varieties that bloom simultaneously. When picking out your trees, check carefully for their cross-pollinator needs. For example, the Cortland is pollinated by the Lodi, Freedom, Golden Russet, or Buckeye Gala.
When planting your trees, consider the location carefully. Apple trees need lots of sun, well-drained soil, and a spot protected from too much wind. We planted ours on a north hillside, where it’s a bit colder, to prevent the trees from blooming too soon then freezing. The slightly colder temperatures slow them down some, and so far, we’ve only lost harvests once because of a freak freeze in late April. It’s also a good idea to plant your trees where you can easily care for them. They’ll need watering (especially in the first year if it’s dry), fertilizing, and pruning. Plus, you’ll need to check for pests and diseases. We don’t spray our trees yearly but do spray organic pesticides/fungicides if we have a problem. Keeping your trees well-maintained will help to reduce pest pressure and diseases.
It’s a good idea to put a tree guard around your young trees to prevent animals from chewing on them, sun-scald, or an accidental weedeater bump. This spiral plastic wraps around the tree and spreads as the tree grows.
Pruning your trees is generally done in a dormant season. There are several pruning methods, and I won’t attempt to address all the whys and ways, but you will want to research them thoroughly. Always prune diseased or broken branches promptly, no matter what season.
You can fertilize your trees several different ways. You can plant a green manure crop under your trees and turn it under each spring or mow it and let it decompose. Commercial fertilizers can be found as time-release granules or spikes you insert into the ground around the tree. Applying natural fertilizers such as compost or rotted manures each spring or fall around the trees is also easy. I spray my trees with a fish/ seaweed emulsion mixture each spring.
When you plant your trees, expect it to take anywhere from 2 to 5 years for them to bear fruit. In my experience, the dwarf varieties produce the quickest. After they set their fruit, you’ll notice in June that many tiny apples will start to drop. This is normal and called a “June Drop.” The tree does this to self-prune the excess fruits. As your fruits begin to get bigger and ripen, you may notice this happening a second time, or you may hand prune your fruits to get a better size out of them and reduce the weight on the tree. I failed to do this last year, and one of my large limbs broke.
Everything likes apples, it seems, from bugs to birds, and especially in our area, squirrels! For the bugs, sprays work best. Netting or a scare owl or snake hung in the tree can work for the birds. And for the squirrels, a dog in the yard or electric fencing works best. Deer can be a problem, and a dog and electric fencing work well for them, also.
When it comes time to harvest your apples, gently place them in your buckets. Leave the stem on if possible for optimal storage, and use any damaged apples promptly. Never store bruised or damaged apples with undamaged apples, as the decay can spread. Make your culls into applesauce, butter, and cider, or dehydrate them. It’s also very convenient to peel, chop, and freeze them for use in cakes and other desserts.
Apple trees are perfect for the homestead. As the Chinese proverb states, “The best time to plant an apple tree is 20 years ago.” And while that’s true, the next best time is this year!
Originally published in the May/June 2023 issue of Countryside and Small Stock Journal and regularly vetted for accuracy.
