June is a critical time for apple trees, as they shift from spring blossoms to fruit development. The trees are putting a lot of energy into growing fruits, but also into healthy foliage and strong roots. A few simple care tasks improve overall tree health and fruit size and quality while also minimizing the risk of typical problems.

Growing apple trees successfully depends on understanding growth timelines, ideal growing conditions, and potential problems. In June, most apple trees are in the early fruit development stage. Pollination has led to the production of small apples that will grow in size over the course of the summer.

During this crucial growth period, you might encounter a few issues, like pests, fungal infections, or overburdened branches. A fruit tree spray from Amazon can help manage pests and diseases. You might also see some fruit drop, which is normal. Apple trees drop some fruits early to prevent branches from getting too heavy. Some loss now is normal.

By following these essential June chores for apple trees, you can maximize your harvest and enjoy healthy trees for years to come.

1. Hand Thin the Fruits

June fruit drop is normal, but you can also aid this natural process by hand thinning some of the apples. By selectively removing some of the developing fruits now, you’ll get bigger, better-quality apples later in the season.

Apple trees produce more fruit than they can actually bring to healthy maturity. If some do not drop, or if you don’t remove them, the crowded apples won’t develop to full size and might have less flavor. Also, the overburdened branches can break under the weight of too much fruit.

To hand thin your apple tree, start by removing any fruits that look damaged, misshapen, or infested with insects. Then, thin out fruit with the goal of leaving one apple every six to eight inches (15 to 20 cm) along a branch.

2. Water During Heat and Drought

The weather in June can be unpredictable in many places. If you experience dry, hot periods, you’ll need to water your apple tree to keep it healthy and happy. Inconsistent moisture is a typical reason apple trees don’t produce well in a given season.

Ensure your apple trees get about an inch (2.5 cm) of water per week. If it isn’t raining, water deeply at the root zone about once a week. Water more frequently during very hot, dry weather and for younger trees.

3. Look for Signs of Pests or Disease

Apple tree pests and diseases can quickly ruin an apple harvest, so it’s best to look for signs early and often. The sooner you catch and manage these issues, the more likely you are to still get a good number of quality apples later.

Codling moths are the proverbial worm in the apple. Look for holes in the fruit. Apple maggots leave little dimples on the surface of fruits where they lay eggs. Spider mites leave behind silk webbing and cause leaves to look scorched. Aphids leave sticky honeydew behind, attracting ants and causing leaves to curl. Woolly aphids also leave behind a cottony material.

Common diseases on apple trees include apple scab and powdery mildew. Scab causes dark green spots on leaves and fruit. Mildew looks like a white or gray powder on leaves and new shoots. You can manage or prevent diseases like these by trimming your trees for airflow and avoiding watering from above. Remove infected growth or use a recommended fungicide, like Captain Jack's Fruit Tree Spray from Amazon, as needed.

4. Light Summer Pruning

Your apple tree needs to direct its energy into fruit development right now, not new growth. June is a good time to do some light pruning to trim back aggressive new shoots that drain energy. This trimming will also open up the canopy to improve airflow and sunlight penetration.

Use sharp, clean shears to trim off water sprouts and suckers. Water sprouts are the new shoots that grow out of main branches on the tree. Suckers are similar shoots that grow from the base of the tree.

5. Fertilize if Needed

Healthy, older trees probably don’t need feeding right now. On the other hand, younger trees can benefit from some June feeding. Trees of any age showing signs of nutrient deficiency, like pale leaves or minimal growth, can also use a light feeding now.

If you feel like your tree could use some extra nutrients, use a balanced product. Avoid products higher in nitrogen, which will encourage leaf growth at the expense of fruit. If you’re not sure your tree needs feeding, do a soil test or check in with your local extension office for guidance.

6. Support Heavy Branches

Even with fruit thinning, some branches can become very heavy as the apples develop. They can crack or even break all the way through. If you see branches that look too weak to hold up their load of fruit, you can use a sturdy stick or post under it to prop it up. You can also use soft ties to anchor it to the trunk or a sturdier branch. Keep monitoring these questionable branches throughout the season.

June is one of the most important months in the apple-growing season. By thinning fruit, watering and feeding as needed, and staying on top of issues like pests and diseases, you can enjoy bigger, better apples and healthier trees both this season and many more.

I was born in April, the month most associated with spring, but it’s impossible not to love May just as much. May is the month of blossoms, when baby birds learn to fly and spring breezes whisper through the new leaves. Life feels easy and everything is coming up roses.

For those growing apple trees, May is particularly sweet. The fruit is set a week or two after the petals fall in late April, so, by mid-May, the tree is full of baby apples. And there’s nothing irksome to accomplish this month, no tricky pruning or grafting.

Instead, the tasks of the moment involve simple steps like looking out for pests and making sure your trees get enough to drink.

What to Do With Apple Trees in May

Every month has its task list in the garden, but some lists are lighter than ever. When it comes to apple tree care, May is one of the easy months. I always feel butterfingered when I’m pruning and grafting fruit trees, but all these hard jobs are done by May. That leaves basic tasks that do not require step-by-step instructions.

Still, you need to take care of your apple trees in May. Be assured, as you begin, that you will be skipping happily through May’s tasks, not trudging up a rocky road. Here are the five most important tasks to accomplish.

1. Give the Apple Trees a Drink

Apple trees may bud in April, but they begin their active growth phase in May. That means that they need more water, from rainfall or supplemental irrigation. Keep in mind that water requirements for apple trees depend on rainfall. The more rain you get in May, the less you need to water.

Your first-year apple trees will need up to 2 inches (5cm) a week in May. Established trees need about half that much. It’s a good idea to check the soil moisture regularly. If the soil feels dry, provide a little extra water. If it feels moist, all is well. When the earth beneath your apple tree feels wet, it’s received too much water. You can even purchase a low-cost soil moisture meter from Amazon if you want more precision.

2. Clear Weeds from Beneath the Apple Tree

When rain has fallen or you’ve just watered, it’s the perfect time to go weed hunting. Now weeds don’t actually compete with big trees for nutrients. On the other hand, they do provide hiding places for insect pests. Pull up the weeds by hand and dispose of them.

While you are weeding, take time to clean up the area. Rake and collect any fruits that fell to the ground as well as broken branches and winter mulch, if any remains. Add a fresh layer of organic mulch, keeping it a hand’s distance from the tree trunk. You can find Miracle-Gro organic mulch at Home Depot or your local hardware store. Organic is always a good choice for mulches used around edible plants.

3. Monitor Apple Trees for Pests

Common apple tree pests like codling moths and aphids can get started in the orchard in springtime. Your job in May is to keep an eye out for these pests.

Codling moths are about half an inch long, with gray banding and shiny bronze scales on their wings. They can cause real apple tree damage. They like to eat apple seeds, and tunnel into the new fruit to get the prizes, making the apples unappealing and often inedible.

Monitoring for codling moths means more than keeping an eye out for moths flying by. The best monitoring tools are pheromone traps. Put them high in the tree canopy, in the upper third of the tree, and check them every week or so. If you find pests, use organic control methods. You can find codling moth traps on Amazon.

Aphids are the familiar, small sap-sucking insects that are often found in groups on the underside of leaves. On apple trees, aphids feed on sap, causing leaves to curl, turn yellow, and weaken the tree. You can spray them off with the hose, use insecticidal soap, or purchase and release lady bugs, who like to eat them.

4. Monitor Apple Trees for Fungal Diseases

Another “look-out” job in May is to scout the apple orchard regularly for fungal diseases. Even the names sound icky: apple scab, cedar apple rust and sooty blotch! These are easily controlled by fungicides if you catch them early, so monitoring apple trees in May is important.

The three most common fungal diseases are in fact those named above. Apple scab leaves darkened, scabby areas on fruit and foliage. Cedar apple rust only attacks if there are both cedar trees and apple trees in the area, since both are required to complete its life cycle. It presents as bright orange spots on leaves. And, as you might have guessed, you can recognize sooty blotch on the surface of the fruit. Trimming and thinning apples is the main treatment for sooty blotch.

Make a close inspection every week. That allows you to catch these problems early and apply fungicides. Immunox fungicide, available at Walmart, is a good option for treating apple tree fungus issues.

5. Thinning the Apples

If you think that there is no such thing as too many apples, I have to agree with you. I personally can chomp through a small bag of apples a week. But the task of thinning apples is not intended to reduce the crop of apple fruits. Rather, it eliminates the small or misshapen apples in order to limit the harvest to big, healthy fruit.

Now we have to admit here that Mother Nature takes care of this step in large part. I remember my early years of raising apples - how horrified I was to find half of the young crop dropping off and littering the ground beneath the tree. This is known as the “June drop” although it usually takes place in May in my region. And June drop is Nature’s way of giving the healthiest fruit more elbow room, sunshine, and nutrients to fatten up into crisp, juicy fruit.

However, it sometimes works out better when you aid in this process a little. Take a look at the apple clusters and prune out any that are imperfect or noticeably smaller than the others. Then, just keep pruning.

If you are extremely disciplined, prune out most of the apples, taking out all but one from each cluster. If you have a hard time with this, like I do, leave two per cluster. You are sure to get a healthier, bigger crop for your troubles.

Shop Apple Orchard Accessories

If you’ve always dreamed of growing fruit but never quite had the space – or time – for a tree, listen up! A columnar fruit tree naturally grows in a tall but narrow pillar shape so it's perfect for a pot and, only reaching 2–3 feet wide, doesn't take up much room at all. And although a columnar tree is petite, you still get full-sized fruit. And plenty of it, too – a mature columnar apple tree may give you 50 pounds of fruit in one season.

In spring, these upright trees also bring a striking display of white or pink blossom, so they're a real asset in a small garden.

What are Columnar Fruit Trees?

Columnar fruit trees are the result of a chance mutation noticed on an apple tree in British Columbia, Canada, back in 1963. The gene that caused the mutation turned out to be highly heritable, and plant breeders have since made all sorts of successful crosses to create a variety of columnar tree cultivars. Breeding new varieties isn't a speedy task though, but there's finally a good range available to buy.

Not only do these slender trees bring an abundant harvest in a small space, they require minimal pruning and the fruit is easy to pick.

Are Other Fruits Available on Columnar Trees?

Apple trees are the most commonly available columnar fruit trees. Other fruits such as peaches, nectarines, cherries and plums are also grown in a columnar form, but they're not so readily available and typically sell out fast as soon as they come into stock – it’s best to register your interest and ask to be notified as soon as they’re restocked. Nature Hills offers Nectarine ‘Flavor Gold’; and both Nature Hills and Fast Growing Trees stock Peach ‘Blushing Pearl’ (all suitable for zones 6–9).

Can I Grow Only One Fruit Tree?

Most columnar fruit trees are not self-pollinating, which means you’ll need a second tree of the same species but a different variety that produces blossom at the same time for cross-pollination to happen. Most garden centers and online nurseries list compatible varieties so it's easy to work out the best options. Bees will do the task of pollinating the blossom, and then fruit will grow. The two trees don’t have to be together but do ensure they’re within 50 feet of each other, and the closer, the better.

How Do I Plant a Columnar Fruit Tree in a Pot?

You’ll need a pot around 15–20 inches in diameter (which will be around 15–20 gallon capacity). Choose one with a broad base to ensure your tree doesn’t topple over in strong winds: this 20-inch corten steel cube planter from Amazon would be a great choice, as would this round concrete planter, also from Amazon. Plant your tree in any good-quality potting soil, with the graft union (that’s the knobbly bit on the trunk near the bottom) just above the soil surface.

Give it a sheltered spot in your backyard in full sunlight, which means 6–8 hours of sunshine a day.

Most columnar apple trees are suited to zones 4–9, but do check your variety. In colder zones, you’ll need to move your tree to a frost-free place (a garage works well) once leaves drop in fall. Keeping the pot on a plant caddy with lockable wheels, like this one from Amazon, makes it easy.

Regular watering is essential, especially when your tree is fruiting. Most columnar fruit trees are typically sold as 2–3-year-old saplings which will fruit in their first year after planting, though it will usually take 3–5 years before a tree crops to full capacity. Check how old the plant you’re buying is, if you don’t want to wait for a young tree to start fruiting.

Heirloom apples deliver flavors from old orchards, each variety a piece of history with tastes that modern types often skip. These trees grow fruit in quirky shapes and complex notes—tart, sweet, or spicy—for pies, cider, or fresh eating. Starting with heirloom apple trees means gardens fill with unique harvests come fall.

These varieties hang on from old orchards, passed down through cuttings or seeds before big agriculture took over. They adapt to local spots better sometimes, shrugging off pests that trip up uniform types. Pollination needs vary. Some are partially self-fertile, others want partners close.

Planting apple trees like heirloom varieties demand the same basic care as any apple tree: proper spacing, deep planting holes, and good soil drainage all make a difference.

What Are Heirloom Apples?

Heirloom apples trace back 100 years or more, A few are open-pollinated types that breed true without hybrid tweaks, but most are preserved through grafting. They skip uniform size and long storage for deeper flavors that shine in cooking or cider. Shapes run odd, skins russet or spotted, but trees tough out local weather better sometimes. The term "heirloom" nods to family legacies and varieties saved from old farms.

Modern apples focus on looks and shelf life, but heirlooms bring diversity—resistance to scab or fire blight in some. Common apple varieties offer comparisons for flavor and use. Heirloom vigor varies—some sprawl wide, others stay dwarf on rootstock. Pollination partners boost yields, since most aren't self-fertile. Many ripen unevenly, extending the harvest season.

Heirloom Apple Varieties To Try

Heirloom apple trees grow fruit in quirky shapes and complex flavor notes. These old-time varieties skip the shiny supermarket look for deeper tastes. Gardens fill with history each fall with these unique these selections.

Cox's Orange Pippin

Cox's Orange Pippin dates to 1830 England. A crisp eater with tangy-sweet notes like pineapple makes it best for fresh snacking or salads. It also stores well for a few months. USDA hardiness zones 5-8 suit it, and it needs good drainage to avoid rot. The skin russets to a golden color, and the fruit is nice and firm.

Trees grow medium size, reaching about 12-16 feet (3.7-4.9 m) tall and wide on semi-dwarf rootstock, and bearing heavily in alternate years. Aromatic flesh makes excellent juice, too. It’s often called the finest dessert apple in Britain. Find Cox's Orange Pippin bare roots from Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards Co.

Gravenstein

The Gravenstein apple tree hails from 17th-century Denmark and is a tart green-red apple that cooks down silky for pies or sauce. It grows best in hardiness zones 5-8 and is a great pair with Golden Delicious apple trees.

Trees spread wide, reaching about 12-18 feet (3.7-5.5 m) tall and wide, branches laden come August. High acidity shines in cider blends. Early ripening makes it one of the first summer apples. Find the perfect Gravenstein apple tree from Nature Hills Nursery.

Newtown Pippin

Newtown Pippin originated 18th-century New York. Also called 'Albemarle Pipping', it is a green keeper apple with spicy tang for cider or long storage. Newtown Pippin also holds its shape well during baking. Best for hardiness zones 5-8, as the required chill hours are high.

Trees reach medium to vigorous size, about 12-18 feet (3.7-5.5 m) tall and wide. Trees resist scab somewhat and fruit is harvested in late fall. George Washington grew this beauty at Mount Vernon and it was one of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson's favorite apples. You can purchase a bare root Albemarle Pippin apple tree from Thomas Jefferson's Monticello.

Ashmead's Kernel

Ashmead's Kernel apples are from 1700s England and offer russet skin and nutty, sharp flavor for eating, or cider. Preserving in jams captures the intensity well. Hardy in zones 4-9, the fruit is knobby, and skin rough to touch.

Trees stay compact to medium, about 10-15 feet (3-4.6 m) tall and wide, bearing is consistent. Pear-like undertones develop in storage.

Esopus Spitzenburg

Esopus Spitzenburg, Thomas Jefferson's other favorite apples is from 1790s New York. This heirloom variety produces red apples with a sweet-tart bite for eating or pies. Esopus Spitzenburg does well in hardiness zones 4-7, and needs full sun. The skin is striped, and fruit is juicy.

Trees grow upright, reaching medium size about 12-16 feet (3.7-4.9 m) tall and wide, fruiting mid-season. Aromatic profile suits fresh pressing for tasty cider, too! Find bare root Esopus Spitzenburg apple trees from Thomas Jefferson's Monticello.

Roxbury Russet

Roxbury Russet, America's oldest heirloom apple variety, is from 1600s Massachusetts. Roxbury is a green-russet keeper with sweet cider notes for storage or baking. This is for zones 4-8, and are scab resistant. The skin is corky, and fruit dense.

Trees are vigorous and with good spread, about 15-20 feet (4.6-6.1 m) tall and wide. The nutty sweetness intensifies over months.

Winesap

Winesap apple trees originate in 1800s New Jersey and deliver dark red apples with wine-like tang for fresh or cider. Zones 5-8, stores months. The skin is thick, and the fruit has a crisp crunch.

Trees stay medium sized, reaching about 12-16 feet (3.7-4.9 m) tall and wide, and bear reliably. Spicy notes enhance sauces and baking. Late ripening extends the season. Find a winesap apple tree bare root from Stark Bro's Nursery & Orchard Co.

Tips for Selecting Heirloom Apple Trees

Pick heirloom apple trees based on local chill hours—most need 500-1000 for fruit set. Rootstock controls size: dwarf for small yards, standard for orchards. Check disease resistance, too. Diseases like fire blight hit some varieties hard.

Apple trees are cross pollinated so partnering 2 or more trees is important. Plant two compatible varieties within 50 feet (15.2 m) of each other so that bees and bugs can do their work and help your trees produce fruit. Fertilize lightly in spring with balanced feed. Be sure to mulch your apple trees to help retain soil moisture.

Prune apple trees in winter for shape, using sharp pruners like these Fiskars bypass pruning shears from Amazon. Water deeply in the first year as your apple trees get used to their new home. Heirloom varieties are often less susceptible to pests like aphids, so that is one less thing to worry about!

Heirloom apples revive flavors long absent from supermarket shelves, offering complex tastes that reward patient growers. Trees endure for decades with consistent pruning and feeding, becoming family landmarks. Each fall harvest connects gardens to centuries of horticultural history.

If you’ve ever feasted on a juicy, crunchy apple, stared at the pips, and wondered how to plant apple seeds, then you’re not alone. Being able to grow your own apples this way has plenty of obvious attractions for apple lovers – not least of which being that it promises a glut of future fruits for free. However, knowing how to plant an apple tree from seed does require a little thought. It’s not difficult to do, but it does require specialized knowledge, including how to germinate and stratify seeds.

Anyone familiar with apple tree planting will know that new trees grown commercially tend to come from grafts. Growing a tree from seed requires patience and may end in disappointment, as you won’t get the same type of apple that the seed came from. Still, knowing how to plant apple tree seeds can be a fun experiment, and you never know, you might just grow some interesting and tasty new fruits for free. Read on to find out how to sow apple seeds that have the best chance of fruiting success.

Does Variety Matter When Planting Apple Seeds?

Apples are commercially grown using grafts rather than seeds, because they do not grow true from seeds. This is because the fruits result from cross-pollination with another apple tree. There is no way to know what other tree was involved. The seed is a combination of two parents.

So, for example, if you decided to plant a Honeycrisp apple seed, you could feasibly grow an apple tree, but the fruits would not be Honeycrisps. This would be the case no matter which apple seeds you decided to try to plant. With this in mind, you can still grow a tree from seed – the nature of what you’ll eventually grow will be a mystery, but if it does fruit, it is sure to be a welcome (and hopefully tasty) treat.

When and Where to Plant Apple Seeds

When it comes to knowing how to plant apple seeds that have the best chance of becoming healthy trees, timing is everything. If you want to try directly sowing seeds in the ground, you should plant them in the fall. This allows the seeds to stratify naturally. Stratification is a period of exposure to cold temperatures which seeds need to go through in order to break dormancy and germinate.

If you are growing seeds indoors, plant your seedlings outside in spring. This will give them a long growing season to establish before winter. Sow seeds or transplant seedlings outdoors in a spot with full sun and moist, well-drained soil. When your tree is ready to flower, it will need another apple tree nearby for cross-pollination.

How to Sow Apple Seeds

Above all, growing apples from scratch requires patience. However, as long as you take your time, you won’t need much in the way of tools, or advanced techniques. Just follow these steps when sowing apple seeds for successful germination:

• Remove the seeds from a mature, ripe apple and clean them of any fruit pieces. Let the seeds air dry.
• Keep the seeds in a cold place for 70 to 80 days. The best temperature for stratifying apple seeds is 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4°Celsius).
• Gently rub your apple seeds on some sandpaper in order to nudge the germination process along.

After the seed stratification period, you can sow the seeds in pots or directly outdoors. Knowing how deep to plant an apple seed is another factor that will improve your success rate. About a half inch (1cm) is just right. Keep the soil consistently moist as you wait for your apple seeds to germinate and sprout.

The best way to plant apple seeds is to use containers so you can better control conditions. Indeed, you may find you want to keep growing apples in containers beyond the initial planting stage. Use several seeds as not all will germinate. If you sow seeds directly outdoors, provide protection to keep animals from digging them up before they can germinate.

Best Care for Apple Seedlings

Once you have some healthy, vigorous seedlings, continue to care for them so at least one will successfully grow into a tree. Apple trees grow best in full sun and moderate temperatures. They need consistently moist soil that does not get waterlogged. Water regularly and deeply to help young plants develop strong roots.

If you are transplanting seedlings outdoors, amend the soil as needed. Add compost for nutrients and make sure it drains well. You can also provide a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer every few weeks during the growing season to help keep your young apple trees strong and healthy. Good luck!

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a bounty of apples it might be time to learn how to make cider. Some homemade apple cider recipes have been handed down for generations but the general gist of them all remains the same. A family fun project, read on to learn how to make hot apple cider.

Best Apples for Cider

Choosing the best apples for cider is a matter of taste. If you prefer your cider to be on the sweet side then opt for sweet apples such as Cortland, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, or Red Delicious. If you like your cider tangy, choose tart apples such as Braeburn, Jonathan, McIntosh, or Pink Lady.

Of course you can also use a blend of both for a tangy/sweet crowd pleasing combination.

Apples for cider should be firm and ripe but mature. Apples do not have to be pristine but you will need to cut out any rotting areas. Areas of apple that are rotting can cause the juice to ferment too rapidly and ruin your cider.

How Many Apples to Make a Gallon of Cider?

It will take about 30 to 40 apples (depending upon size) to make a gallon of cider. If you are purchasing your apples by the bushel, a bushel contains about 125 apples more or less, so a bushel of apples will yield 3 to 4 gallons (11-15 L.) of cider.

About Cider Safety

There is a fairly small but realistic risk that unpasteurized cider may be contaminated with food borne pathogens like E. coli. Some people like the elderly, children, or those with underlying health issues may be more susceptible to bacteria than others.

Commercial cider producers must go through rigorous testing to ensure their produce is safe for consumption but at home producers can mitigate the risks as well by boiling or pasteurizing cider prior to consumption.

How to Make Apple Cider with a Press

The traditional method for extracting juice from apples is by using a crusher and press. You may have seen these at commercial apple orchards or may even have your own.

The first order of business is to wash the apples, core them, and cut into quarters. If there are any rotting areas be sure to cut them out completely. Load the prepared apple into the crusher. When the crusher is full enough transfer the crushed apples to the press and using the handles press the juice from the apples.

Then squeeze the juice through a jelly bag to remove any remaining particles. Heat the juice to 160 degrees F. (71 C.) to eliminate any pathogens. Allow the juice to cool and then pour into clean, new, or recycled juice bottles. Keep refrigerated and consume within five days or freeze for later use.

Alternative Method for Making Apple Cider

Not everyone has access to an apple press but you can also make cider using a juicer. In this case you don’t need to core the apples but you do need to cut out any rotting areas and cut the fruit into quarters.

Start juicing until the pulp container begins to get full. Squeeze the pulp through a clean towel or cheesecloth and collect the juice. The remaining pulp should be dry and is then referred to as pommace which can be composted.

As above, heat the juice to pasteurize it and then bottle as above.

How to Make Hot Apple Cider?

Nothing smells quite as good as hot apple cider simmering on the stove on a chilly day. There are a few different additions to apple cider depending upon the recipe but the basic recipe is as follows.

• 4 cups (950 ml.) unsweetened apple juice
• several black peppercorns
• ½ teaspoon (2 g.) whole cloves
• ¼ teaspoon (1 g.) nutmeg
• a pinch of orange zest
• *Optional: pure maple syrup to sweeten

You may add more or less of the spices and zest to suit your palate. The same goes with the maple syrup. Some people like hot apple cider sweet and others tart. Some people put cinnamon sticks or allspice berries and even lemon peel into their hot apple cider. There’s no right or wrong way to spice up your cider, it’s all up to your palate.

What comes to your mind when someone mentions harvesting apples from their backyard fruit tree? If you think of a shiny, red (or green) globe with smooth, shiny peel, you aren’t alone. But it’s important to realize that an apple with brown spots outside might be just as delicious.

While nobody wants to bite into a rotten or diseased fruit, the fact that there are brown spots on apple skin doesn’t mean the fruit should be tossed. Read on to find out what causes this kind of frost rings, aka russeting on apples.

Frost and Apple Trees

Gardeners who are growing apples rely on the average last-frost date that applies to their area. But there is no guarantee that fruit trees will wait until after that date to bloom. In fact, many fruit trees bloom before the frost-free date and that frost can impact the amount and condition of the fruit.

The amount of fruit impacted by the frost will vary depending on how developed the flowers are at the time of the frost. A fruit tree blossom is quite frost-hardy as a bud, but less hardy as it develops into flowers. For example, apple buds shrug off temperatures as low as 15 degrees F (-9 C), while blooming apple blossoms may be injured if temperatures drop below 28 degrees F (-2 C).

Brown Spots on Apples

You won’t notice apple fruit problems immediately after a frost, but when the fruits develop, there may be scabby rings around the lower part of the fruit. These are termed frost rings. They result from the blossom freeze when the apple tree was in bloom and fruits were in an early stage of development.

Those low temperatures damaged the exterior of the fruit, the surface tissue. As the fruit gets bigger, the damage forms a ring pattern beneath the fruit epidermis, separating it from the flesh. This frost ring makes the apple look different, but they taste exactly the same.

What Is Russeting on Apples?

Apple russeting is another name for changes in the color and texture of apple skin. The term refers to the actual change in appearance – where parts of the skin turn a darker, russet color – rather than from the frost phenomena. The rough, off-color skin defect, like frost ring, doesn’t ruin the taste of the fruit or affect its edibility.

Unlike “frost ring,” the term “apple russeting” does not necessarily implicate frost. It is an apple-skin condition caused by damage to the apple’s epidermis cells. The damage to the apple skin causes wound-sealing tissue to develop, called phellogen. This gives the appearance of a thin, corky skin surface.

Like frost ring, apple russeting can be caused by a frost while the apple blossom buds are developing. But it can also result from a variety of stress factors, including physical and biological ones. These include frost, but also rain, high humidity, and concentrated sunlight.

Apple russeting can also result from chemical burns from surfactants, foliar fertilizers, pesticides including sulfur or captan fungicides, and the carbamates Vydate and carbaryl. But it also has been traced back to pathogens like powdery mildew and any skin abrasion.

Apples are one of the most popular fruits. There are 7,500 varieties grown throughout the globe, with varying apple variety harvest times. Apple harvest dates run from late August into the fall, but can you pick apples in October? Later harvest apples such as Red Delicious are often picked into early October, but they aren’t the only late season apple tree. Read on to learn about tasty late season apples to pick in October.

Apple Harvest Times

Apple harvest dates aren’t an exact science. They vary of course depending upon the variety but also on weather conditions. For instance, many apple producing regions recently had an unusually cool spring which prolonged dormancy, hence, a delayed harvest time.

If you are wondering when to pick your own home grown apples you need to first know the variety and then the approximate harvest date. The harvest date may vary slightly year by year, but this list will give you a good gauge as to when to harvest.

Late Season Apples to Pick in October

• Red Delicious isn’t the only apple that can be harvested into October. The highly touted Cosmic Crisp is another red apple great for eating or baking that ripens in mid-October and stores well in the refrigerator.
• Unrelated to Red Delicious, Golden Delicious is a yellow, medium-large apple that bears heavily. Sweet and juicy, Golden Delicious are harvested in early October but do have a short shelf life.
• Idared is a large, tart, red apple with a pleasant smell and crisp interior. Great made into apple butter, Idared stores well and ripens in mid-October.
• Jonagold is great for making sweet/tart desserts. This orange/yellow apple is firm and juicy and also ripens in mid-October. When harvested on time, this variety of apple stores fairly well.
• Sir Prize is a large, juicy yellow/green apple with an amazing aroma. Disease resistant, Sir Prize is best used as a dessert apple and is ready to harvest in mid-October.

Additional Apple Varieties to Pick in October

• Haralson is one of the earlier late season apples ready for harvest in late September to early October. Firm and tart, Haralson is good for eating fresh or cooking and stores in a refrigerator for up to 5 months.
• Frostbite is both savory and sweet with a hint of tang. Introduced in 2006, this bronzed red beauty is slow to brown when cut open, making it perfect for salads or fruit trays. Frostbite ripens in mid-October.
• Regent is an interesting red striped apple suitable for both fresh eating and cooking. Introduced in 1964, Regent ripens in mid-October with fruit staying viable in refrigeration for up to 5 months. It is fairly vigorous, although susceptible to apple scab.
• Fireside/Connell Red was introduced in 1943. This vigorous weeping apple’s sweet flavor makes it perfect for eating fresh, in salad or cooked and is ready for harvest in mid-October.
• Keepsake is a firm, crisp yellow apple with an almost exotic sweetness that is good for eating fresh or for cooking. Ripening in mid-October, Keepsake apples store for 6 months.
• Prairie Spy has firm flesh that tolerates long term storage and is perfect for baking. Introduced in 1940, Prairie Spy is a vigorous tree whose fruit ripens in late October.
• Rome Beauty makes for a good baking or cooking apple. This large red apple has a mild flavor and is ready to pick in late October.

Other apple varieties to consider picking in October include Honeycrisp, Empire, Liberty, Blushing Golden and Mutsu.

Apples are grown in all 50 states. Some are best eaten fresh while other apples are better for cooking or preserving. In the United States there are 2,500 apple varieties, and their uses run the gamut from juicing to drying to making applesauce to desserts. Read on to learn about the best apples for everything from pie to apple butter.

Apple Uses

With so many apple varieties there’s bound to be one for your use. For instance the best apples for cooking into pies and other baked goodies are Ambrosia, Braeburn, Cameo, Cortland, Empire, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Gravenstein, Honeycrisp, Jazz, Jonagold, Jonathan, and Pink Lady.

Other apple varieties are more suited to drying or making into leather, juice or cider, applesauce or butter, or to can or freeze.

Good Apples for Applesauce

The best apples for applesauce will be those that are crisp yet sweet and juicy such as Ambrosia, Gala, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp and Pink Lady. If you like your applesauce on the tart side, include a pound or two (just under ½ kg to just under 1 kg) of tangier apples such as Granny Smith, Jonagold, McIntosh, or Winesap to every 3 pounds (1.3 kg) of sweeter apple.

If you want to make apple jelly, choose sweet varieties of apple such as Ambrosia, Fuji, or Gala. Apple jam should contain apples from both ends of the spectrum: some sweet and some tart such as Pink Lady combined with Granny Smith.

Best Apple for Apple Butter

Apple butter cooks low and slow so apple varieties should have soft flesh. Apple choices for apple butter include Braeburn, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, McIntosh, and Red Delicious.

Other apples to try for both applesauce and butter may be Empire, Cameo, Gravenstein, Jazz, Jonagold, Rome Beauty, and Stayman.

Best Apples for Juicing

Juicy apples such as Ambrosia, Cameo, Gala, Golden Delicious, Gold Rush, Fuji, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Jazz, Jonagold and Pink Lady will do well for juicing or making into cider.

Freezing or Drying Apples

Any type of apple freezes well it just depends on how you want to freeze them. Apples can be frozen whole, peeled and sliced or made into apple pie filling prior to freezing.

All apples types can be dried. Your taste preference will dictate which type you would like dried. Sweet apples such as Gala or Fuji make great sweet dried apples or for those who like a bit of tartness, try drying Granny Smith.

All apples can be prepared in any of the ways above. Some are better in an instance than others but if you happen to have an entire tree of Gravenstein at your disposal, then try any or all of the above preservation methods.

What is a columnar apple tree? These are unusually narrow and upright-growing apple trees, tall and thin and perfect for small spaces. You can grow them in a garden corner or in a container on the patio.

Although columnar apple tree varieties (Malus domesticus cvs.) look quite different from regular apple trees, columnar apple fruit looks like regular apples. Read on if you are interested in growing columnar apple trees.

What Is a Columnar Apple Tree?

If you ever come across an apple tree that is twice as tall as you are, but only 2 feet (61 cm.) wide, you have encountered a columnar apple tree. They are sometimes called Ballerina apple trees, given their slender shape.

What is a columnar apple tree? These alien-looking shrubs are genetically programmed to their tall, thin structure. They just don’t grow the broad, sweeping branches of an ordinary apple tree (some 20 feet or 6 meters tall and wide). But they still produce ample fruit.

Columnar Tree Apples

The elegant trunks of columnar apple trees produce many fruiting spurs, the tree parts that bear fruit. In fact, these thin trees often bear so many fruit that the apples stay small unless you thin them out when the fruit is young. 

The trees are genetically programmed to their tall, slender shape, so don’t try to find a columnar version of your favorite regular cultivars. However, you might be able to get the same apple taste. When it comes to columnar apple tree varieties, “Northpole” tastes like a McIntosh apple and “Golden Sentinel” is similar to Golden Delicious in flavor. The third popular columnar apple tree variety, “Scarlet Sentinel,” produces green-yellow apples with a red blush.

How to Grow Columnar Trees

If you are thinking of growing columnar apple trees, you will want to know the ins and outs of planting. We have lots of tips about how to grow columnar trees, but only try this if you live in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9.

First, columnar trees are fruit trees, despite their unusual shape. Like regular apple trees, they require a full sun location to thrive. You’ll need at least two different columnar apple tree varieties for pollination. If you plant them in the soil of your backyard, space them about 2 feet (61 cm.). Planting them in large containers or whiskey barrels works just fine. Whether they are in containers or in the ground, you’ll need to water them regularly if you want columnar apple fruit. 

There aren’t many fruit trees that can keep you in food most of the year. The Gala apple fruit tree is one of them. Famed for their crispness, Gala apples can be harvested most of the autumn and can be stored for months while retaining an excellent texture. If you are thinking of growing a Gala apple tree, who can blame you? Read on for tips to make Gala apple tree care as easy as possible.

Gala Apple Fruit Tree

Most apple trees dress up like ballerinas in their spring blossoms, and planting a Gala apple tree brings this show into your own backyard. Its flowers are white-pink and fragrant, giving way to young fruit in summer. 

As the Gala apples mature, they become ornamental too, developing attractive streaks of yellow on their firm surfaces. The harvest period is long, lasting all through autumn, and that’s when you get to taste the sweet, firm, and juicy fruit. 

Growing a Gala Apple Tree

Like every other plant, the Gala apple grows best when its particular needs are met. The ideal Gala apple tree climate is not-too-warm and not-too cool. It thrives in the middle zones, USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 8.

When planting a Gala apple tree, find a site that gets full, direct sun. It needs at least six hours of unfiltered sun per day. Excellent drainage is equally important so provide it with moist, well-drained soil. Note that the tree is self-pollinating, so you don’t need more than one. Two apple trees are always better though.

Gala Apple Tree Care

Once you’ve got Gala apple tree climate figured out, you are ready to plant. Either fall or spring works well for this tree but avoid very cold or very hot periods. The amount of garden space you’ll need for the tree depends on which version you pick. The standard Gala grows to 25 feet (8.5 m.) tall with a similar spread, the semi-dwarf is about half that tall, while a dwarf stays about 10 feet (3 m.) tall and wide. 

Gala apple fruit trees need ample water for the first year. Irrigate deeply at planting time, then twice weekly for a few months while the tree is establishing. One deep watering weekly during the growing season works well the first year, with one monthly in winter. After establishment, water only during dry spells. Mulching helps keep the soil moist. 

What about fertilizer? Apply it when planting a Gala apple tree, and again each spring. Prune the tree in late winter to take out dead, diseased, or crowded branches.

Cankers are wounds on living wood or dead areas on tree twigs, branches, and trunks. If you have an apple tree with cankers, the wounds may serve as overwintering spots for fungal spores and bacteria that cause diseases.

Anyone with apple trees in a home garden needs to learn about cankers in apple trees. Read on for information on apple cankers and tips for apple canker control.

Reasons for Apple Cankers

Think of canker in apple trees as evidence of tree injury. The reasons for these cankers are many and varied. Cankers can be caused by fungi or bacteria that attack the trunk or branches. Injury from extremely hot or cold weather, hail, or a pruning cut can also result in cankers.

An apple tree with cankers will have areas of roughened or cracked bark that seem darker than the surrounding bark. They may look wrinkled or sunken. You also may see fungal spore structures in the area that look like dark or red pimples. In time, you may see white protrusions growing from the bark that are wood decay fungi.

Canker in Apple Trees

For an injury to become a canker, it must have an entry point. That is the danger of cankers, fungal spores or bacteria enter the tree through the wound and overwinter there. During the growing season they develop and cause diseases. 

For example, if the pathogen Nectria galligena overwinters in cankers, the apple tree will develop a disease called European canker. The Delicious variety of apple tree is the most susceptible to European canker, but Gravenstein and Rome Beauty trees also are vulnerable.

Other pathogens result in other diseases. The Erwinia amylovora pathogen causes fire blight, Botryosphaeria obtusa causes black rot canker, and Botryosphaeria dothidea causes white rot canker. Most canker pathogens are fungi, although fire blight pathogens are bacteria.

How to Treat Apple Canker

Many gardeners wonder how to treat apple canker. The mainstay of apple canker control is pruning out the cankers. If the canker pathogen is a fungus, prune off the cankers in early summer. After that, spray the area with a Bordeaux mixture or approved fixed copper materials.

Since fungal cankers only attack apple trees suffering from drought or other cultural stress, you may be able to prevent these cankers by taking excellent care of the trees. However, the fire blight pathogen is a bacteria that attacks even heathy trees. Apple canker control in this case is more difficult.

With fire blight, wait until winter to do pruning. Since older wood is not as vulnerable to fire blight, prune deep – 6 to 12 inches (15-31 cm.) – into wood that is at least two years old. Burn all of the tree tissue you remove in order to destroy the pathogen.

This deep pruning will prove more difficult in smaller, younger trees. Experts suggest that if the fire blight has attacked the trunk of a tree or if the tree is young, opt to remove the entire tree instead of attempting treatment.

When out hiking in nature, you may come upon an apple tree growing far from the nearest home. It’s an unusual sight that may raise questions for you about wild apples. Why do apple trees grow in the wild? What are wild apples? Are wild apple trees edible? Read on to get answers to these questions. We’ll give you wild apple tree information and provide an overview of the different types of wild apple trees.

Do Apple Trees Grow in the Wild?

It is entirely possible to find an apple tree growing in the middle of a forest or in another location some distance from a town or farmhouse. It might be one of the original wild apple trees or it may instead be a descendent of a cultivated variety.

Are wild apple trees edible? Both types of wild apple trees are edible, but the cultivated tree descendent will likely produce larger, sweeter fruit. The fruit of a wild tree will be small and sour, yet very attractive to wildlife.

What are Wild Apples?

Wild apples (or crapapples) are the original apple trees, bearing the scientific name Malus sieversii. They are the tree from which all cultivated varieties of apple (Malus domestica) were developed. Unlike cultivars, wild apples always grow from seed and each one is genetically unique, potentially tougher, and better adapted to local conditions than cultivars.

The wild trees are usually quite short and produce small, acidic fruit. The apples are devoured happily by bears, turkeys, and deer. The fruit can be eaten by humans as well and is sweeter after it is cooked. Over 300 species of caterpillars eat wild apple leaves, and that’s only counting those in the northeast area of the U.S. Those caterpillars feed countless wild birds.

Wild Apple Tree Information

Wild apple tree info tells us that although some of the apple trees growing in the middle of nowhere are, in fact, wild apple trees, others are cultivars planted at some point in the past by a human gardener. For example, if you find an apple tree along the edge of a rough field, it was likely planted decades before when someone actually cultivated that field.

While generally native plants are better for wildlife than introduced cultivars from elsewhere, that is not the case with apple trees. The trees and their fruits are similar enough that wildlife will consume cultivated apples as well.

You can assist wildlife by helping the tree grow stronger and more fruitful. How do you do that? Cut down nearby trees that block the sun from the apple tree. Trim back the apple tree branches to open up the center and allow the light in. The tree will also appreciate a layer of compost or manure in the springtime.

If you’re new (or even not so new) to the gardening game, you might wonder how apple trees are propagated. Apples are usually grafted onto hardier rootstocks, but what about planting apple tree cuttings? Can you root apple tree cuttings? Starting apple tree cuttings is possible; however, you may not end up with the exact characteristics of the parent plant. Read on to learn more.

Can You Root Apple Tree Cuttings?

Apples can be started from seed, but it’s a little like spinning a roulette wheel; you never know exactly what you’ll get. The rootstocks of most popular apple varieties tend to be susceptible to disease and are grafted onto hardier rootstock.

Another method of propagation is planting apple tree cuttings. This is a fairly straightforward method of propagation but, as with propagation from seed, it’s a bit of a mystery as to what you will end up with, and apple tree rooting isn’t always successful.

Starting Apple Tree Cuttings

Start an apple tree from cuttings in the winter or early spring when the tree is dormant. With sharp pruning shears, cut a portion of a branch that is 6-15 inches (15-38 cm.) from the tip of the branch.

Store the cutting, cut end down in moist sawdust or vermiculite for 3-4 weeks in a cool basement, cellar or refrigerator.

At the end of this chilling period, a callus will have formed over the cut end. Dust this callused end with rooting powder and then stick the dusted end in a container of moist peat soil. Keep the soil consistently moist. Place the container in a warm area of partial to dappled sunlight.

Planting Apple Tree Cuttings

After a few weeks, you should see leaves begin to emerge, which also means that roots are growing. At this time, give them a light application of liquid fertilizer or manure water.

Transplant at this juncture or keep the cutting in the container for the next year until the seedling has established roots and then transplant it the following spring.

Dig a hole that is large enough to accommodate the apple tree rooting. Settle the seedling apple tree into the hole and fill in around the roots with soil. Gently tamp out any air bubbles and water the plant in well.

If it is still fairly cool outside, you may need to cover the trees for added protection but remove the covers once it’s warmed back up.

Planting fruit trees in the yard can be a welcoming addition. However, deciding what to grow may prove to be difficult. With so many options, it is no surprise that some may choose to grow apple trees at home. Beloved for their tolerance to a wide range of growing zones, fresh apples serve as the perfect sweet and tart fruit for home gardens. One variety of apple, ‘Autumn Crisp,’ is especially prized for its use in the kitchen and for fresh eating.

Autumn Crisp Tree Info

Autumn Crisp apple trees are the result of the cross between ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Monroe’ apple varieties. First introduced by Cornell University, this extremely crisp variety of apple is rich in Vitamin C.

In addition to these attributes, Autumn Crisp apple trees produce high yields that are excellent for fresh eating. When compared to other cultivars, these apples demonstrate slower oxidation and browning when cut into slices.

How to Grow Autumn Crisp Apples

Growing Autumn Crisp apples is very similar to growing other apple varieties. First, growers will need to determine whether or not the apple is hardy to their USDA growing zone. Once that has been established, it will be necessary to locate a source of the plant.

Due to the nature of apple seeds, it is not possible to grow this variety from seed. Though apple trees can be grown in this manner, planted seed would not grow true to type.

For best results, Autumn Crisp apple tree saplings can be ordered online or found in local garden centers. Purchasing your apple sapling from a reputable source will help to ensure that transplants are healthy and disease free.

Choose a well-draining and well-amended location in the garden to plant your apple tree. Make certain that the tree receives full sun, or at least six to eight hours of sunlight each day.

Dig a hole that is at least twice as wide and twice as deep as the root ball of the apple tree. Plant the tree and gently, yet thoroughly, water the transplanted sapling.

Autumn Crisp Apple Care

Beyond planting, Autumn Crisp apple care will need to be consistent with routine care of other fruit trees. This means that the trees will require frequent weekly irrigation throughout the growing season, fertilization, as well as pruning and limb maintenance.

With proper care during the tree’s period of establishment, growers are able to enjoy succulent fresh apples for years to come.

Granny Smith is the quintessential tart green apple. It is famous for its unique, bright green skin but also enjoyed for the perfect balance of taste between tart and sweet. Granny Smith apple trees are great for the home orchard because they provide these delicious fruits in abundance. The apples can be enjoyed in any culinary use.

What is a Granny Smith Apple?

The original Granny Smith was discovered by Australian Maria Ann Smith. The tree grew on her property in a spot where she tossed crabapples. One little seedling grew into an apple tree with beautiful green fruits. Today, no one is certain of its parentage, but apple experts suggest the Granny Smith resulted from a cross between a Rome Beauty and a French crabapple.

Granny Smith is now among the most popular of apple varieties. The apples are truly versatile. Enjoy them fresh and store for up to six months. You can also use Granny Smith in cider, pies, and other baked goods, and fresh or cooked in savory dishes. It pairs well as a simple snack with cheese or peanut butter.

How to Grow Granny Smith Apples

When growing Granny smith trees, it’s best to be somewhere in zones 5 through 9, but this variety will tolerate heat better than many others. You’ll need another apple tree as a pollinator as well. Some good options include Red Delicious, Rome Beauty, and Golden Delicious as well as many crabapple varieties.

Plant a new tree in a sunny spot with soil that drains well. Work organic matter into the soil first if it needs more nutrients. Make sure the graft line is a couple of inches (5 cm.) above the soil line when planted.

Granny Smith apple care requires regular watering initially, until the tree is established, as well as pruning. Every year in late winter or early spring give the tree a good trim to shape it and allow air flow between branches. Remove suckers or any unwanted shoots at any time of the year.

Expect to harvest your Granny Smith apples in mid to late October.

Dayton apples are relatively new apples with a sweet, slightly tart flavor that makes the fruit ideal for snacking, or for cooking or baking. The large, shiny apples are dark red and the juicy flesh is pale yellow. Growing Dayton apples isn’t difficult if you can provide well-drained soil and plenty of sunlight. Dayton apple trees are suitable for USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 9. Let’s learn how to grow a Dayton apple tree.

Tips on Dayton Apple Care

Dayton apple trees grow in nearly any type of well-drained soil. Dig in a generous amount of compost or manure before planting, especially if your soil is sandy or clay-based.

At least eight hours of sunlight is a requirement for successful apple tree growth. The morning sun is especially important because it dries the dew on the leaves, thus reducing the risk of disease.

Dayton apple trees require at least one pollinator of another apple variety within 50 feet (15 m.). Crabapple trees are acceptable.

Dayton apple trees don’t require a lot of water but, ideally, they should receive an inch (2.5 cm) of moisture every week, either through rain or irrigation, between spring and fall. A thick layer of mulch will retain moisture and keep weeds in check, but be sure mulch doesn’t pile up against the trunk.

Apple trees require very little fertilizer when planted in healthy soil. If you decide fertilizer is needed, wait until the tree begins applying fruit, then apply a general-purpose fertilizer yearly in late winter or early spring.

Remove weeds and grass in a 3-foot (1 m.) area around the tree, especially in the first three to five years. Otherwise, weeds will deplete moisture and nutrients from the soil.

Thin the apple tree when the fruit is approximately the size of marbles, usually in midsummer. Otherwise, the weight of the fruit when ripe may be more than the tree can easily support. Allow 4 to 6 inches (10-15 cm.) between each apple.

Prune Dayton apple trees in late winter or early spring, after any danger of hard freeze has passed.

Looking for a juicy, red apple tree to plant? Try growing State Fair apple trees. Keep reading to learn how to grow State Fair apples and other State Fair apple facts.

What is a State Fair Apple?

State Fair apple trees are semi-dwarf trees that grow to about 20 feet (6 m.) in height. This hybrid was first introduced to the market in 1977. The fruit is a bright red with subtle, yellow-green blushing. The all-purpose apple has a semi-sweet to acidic taste and juicy, yellow flesh.

State Fair blooms with showy clusters of mildly scented pink-blushed white flowers in midspring. The red apples that follow are striped with a touch of light yellow green. In the fall, the forest-green foliage turns a golden yellow before dropping.

The tree itself has a fairly rounded habit with a general clearance of about 4 feet (1 m.) from the ground that lends itself well as an accent tree when combined with courser trees or shrubs.

State Fair Apple Facts

State Fair apples are a cold hardy to -40 degrees F. (-40 C.), all-purpose apple, however, once harvested, the fruit has a fairly short storage life of about two to four weeks. It is also susceptible to fire blight and, on occasion, prone to biennial bearing. State Fair is a medium growing tree that can be expected to live for 50 years or longer.

State Fair does need a second pollinator for optimal fruit production. A good choice for a pollinator is a white blossom crabapple or another apple from flowering group 2 or 3, such as Granny Smith, Dolgo, Fameuse, Kid’s Orange Red, Pink Pearl, or any of the other apples that reside in these two groups.

How to Grow State Fair Apples

State Fair apples can be grown in USDA zones 5 to 7. State Fair needs full sun and average to moist soil that is well-drained. It is fairly tolerant of soil type, as well as pH, and also does well in areas of urban pollution.

Expect to harvest fruit in late August to early September.

Anyone interested in growing apples in the home landscape may want to consider trying out the Antonovka variety. This tasty, easy to grow and care for tree is a centuries-old favorite used for fresh eating, baking, and canning. It is also well liked for use in cider.

Antonovka Apple Facts

What are Antonovka apples, you may ask. They are a winter producing group of apple trees originally from Russia. Antonovka fruit trees are often used as a rootstock to add cold hardiness to other apple types that can be grafted in. They are also used for seedling trees in northern areas. The common Antonovka apple is most normally grown in the U.S., but there are other varieties.

Antonovka apple facts say it is a tasty, tart fruit right off the tree, having high acid, with flavor that mellows after time in storage. The skin is light green to yellow with russet overtones. Allow the fruit to fully ripen to avoid tartness.

Trees of this specimen have a long taproot, making it sturdy and drought tolerant. It is one of few apple tree varieties that produce true to seed when grown in that manner. It was first documented when it was found in Kursk, Russia in 1826. There is now a monument to this apple there.

How to Grow Antonovka Apples

Antonovka apples grow well in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 8 and bear fruit early. Learning how to grow Antonovka apples provides a crop of the large, delicious apples in a few years. Growing from seed takes longer. However, the tree grows true to seed, meaning it will be the same as the tree from which the seed was obtained. There’s no worry about an unusual or unexpected cultivar growing, as is the case when using hybrid seeds.

Planting small trees provides a crop more quickly than starting from seed, approximately two to four years. Several online nurseries offer Antonovka apples, as your local tree nursery may. When buying online, make sure you are ordering the entire tree and not just a rootstock. Planting and growing this tree isn’t different from growing other apple trees.

Work up the soil well before planting. Dig deep and prepare a sunny spot to accommodate the long taproot. Amend the soil prior to planting with finished compost to provide nutrients. This variety likes a soil that is moister than most apple trees, but soil should drain well so it doesn’t stay soggy.

Plant with other apple trees, as it needs a partner for pollination. Some people grow crabapples as a pollinator. Continued Antonovka apple care includes having to water and fertilize regularly as the tree becomes established.

Even in the heat of summer when winter feels very far away, it’s never too early to learn about apple tree winter care. You’ll want to take care of apples in winter to make sure you get crisp fruit the next growing season. Winter apple tree maintenance starts well before winter. In summer and fall, you can take actions that make apple winter protection easier. Read on for more information on apple tree winter care.

Apple Winter Protection

Apple trees provide beauty all year, with frothy blossoms in spring, foliage and fruit in summer, culminating with mature apples in autumn. Apples in winter also have a serene, stark beauty. Proper winter care powers the entire, year-long cycle. Regardless of apple tree cold tolerance, your tree needs help getting ready to face the colder weather. Apples that get good care in summer and fall are already on the way toward appropriate winter protection. They will start the chilly season stronger and enter the next growing season in better shape. A critical first step is to make sure that the trees gets appropriate water and nutrients from summer through fall. Water stress weakens trees, while deep watering during the growing season creates long apple tree roots that are less susceptible to ice damage. Fertilize your apple trees early in summer for stronger apples in winter. Avoid feeding trees in autumn, since the new growth produced is more easily damaged by winter cold. It also helps to clean up the orchard in autumn. Rake up and remove fallen leaves and fruit. Also, cut the grass beneath and between apple trees. High grass can house rodents as well as insect pests.

Winter Apple Tree Maintenance

You’ll also need to assist the trees during cold weather. Check your apple tree’s cold tolerance and compare it with your temperature. Ideally, you’ll do this before you plant the tree in your garden. A tree that isn’t hardy to your climate can’t stay outside in winter. Assuming the tree can survive a winter outside, there’s still winter maintenance to think about. Once the tree the bark freezes, paint the southern-facing side of the trunk with white latex paint. That prevents bark thawing on the sunny side of the tree, and the bark cracking that can follow. Other apple tree maintenance includes protecting the trunk from rodents. Wrap the trunk from the ground level up 3 feet (1 m.) with wire netting or plastic. Should you prune apples in winter? Don’t consider pruning in early winter since this increases the risk of winter injury. Instead, wait to prune apples in winter until at least February or March. Late, dormant season pruning is best. Prune out dead, damaged and diseased trees. Also, remove water sprouts and crossing branches. If the tree getting too tall, you can also lower the height by cutting tall branches back to lateral buds.

Apple trees are great for backyard orchards, providing fruit year after year, a crisp and sweet fall treat. But, if you don’t understand how to care for your trees, you may lose that fruit. Watering apple trees is usually not needed after the first year, but until they are at that established point, irrigation is a crucial element of care.

How Much Water Do Apple Trees Need?

Apple tree water requirements depend on rainfall. In general, for an established tree, you won’t need to water it unless you are not getting much rain or there is a particularly dry spell or even drought. About an inch (2.5 cm.) or so of rainfall every week to ten days is adequate for most apple trees. Trees in their first growing season may need a little more than this.

How to Water an Apple Tree

When you do need to water your tree, it is important to do so without creating standing water and soggy roots. This can be as damaging as drought conditions for your tree. Too much water depletes oxygen from the soil, prevents the roots from absorbing necessary minerals, and makes a tree susceptible to rot and infections. Ideal apple tree irrigation involves giving the roots a deep soaking. Let a garden hose trickle around the base of the tree for an extended period of time. This will give the soil time to soak up the water and minimize runoff. A soaker hose can do multiple trees at one time. Each time you water, make sure the ground around the tree and roots gets fully soaked. Knowing how much water to give your apple tree will depend on factors unique to your climate, weather, and soil. If you see standing water, you may be overwatering. If the weather is unusually hot or dry, you may need to increase watering for that period of time. Waterlogged roots are always worse than dry roots, so always err on the side of caution when watering apple trees.

You’ve worked long and hard to get your apple orchard healthy and growing. You’ve done proper maintenance and expected everything to be fine for a great apple crop this year. Then, in spring, you notice that your buds don’t open. A few days later, you see they are covered in a powdery substance, which is a white to light gray powder. Unfortunately, powdery mildew in apples has attacked your trees.

About Apple Tree Powdery Mildew

These are the spores of the powdery mildew fungus (Podosphaera leucotricha). The flowers don't develop normally, with the blooms likely to be greenish-white. They will produce no fruit. Leaves may be the first to be infected. These may be wrinkled and small. Likely, apple tree powdery mildew will spread to the other trees in the orchard if it has not already. Eventually, it will infect new leaves, fruit, and shoots on nearby trees. By summer, much of the tree is browning. If fruit develops at all, it may be dwarfed or covered with russeted skin; however, the fruit is not affected until the disease reaches a high level. Apple trees with powdery mildew are usually infected by spores that have blown in and overwintered in the tree. Powdery mildew develops best at temps of 65 to 80 F. (18-27 C.) and when relative humidity is high. Moisture is not needed for development. This fungus continues to grow and infect until it is stopped.

Powdery Mildew Apple Control

A fungicide spray should begin at the tight bud stage and continue until the growth of new shoots stops for powdery mildew apple control. Use a range of fungicides, with a third spray in early summer. Control in the home orchard with just a few trees may also be accomplished. Resistant cultivars are less likely to develop major infestations. When replacing apple trees or planting new ones, consider disease resistance to avoid issues such as powdery mildew and other diseases. Healthy trees are less likely to succumb to powdery mildew. Keep them vigorous with the right drainage, proper spacing to allow for good airflow, fertilization, fungicide sprays, and pest control. Prune apples at the right time with the right method. Well cared for trees are more likely to give back with an abundant harvest.

Easy to grow, caring for a Liberty apple tree starts with locating it in the right spot. Plant your young tree in loamy, well-drained soil in full sun. Hardy in USDA zones 4-7, Liberty apple information calls this tree a prolific producer.

About Liberty Apple Trees

A semi-dwarf hybrid, Liberty apple trees produce substantial crops in the home orchard or landscape. Resistant to apple scab and other diseases, Liberty apple growing provides big, red fruits that generally are ready for harvest in September. Many grow it as a replacement for the McIntosh apple tree.

Caring for a Liberty Apple Tree

Learning how to grow Liberty apples is not difficult. Once you plant your apple tree, keep it watered in well until it develops a good root system. Prune the young tree to a single trunk for best long-term growth. Head it back each year. Prune branches and thin out those that are damaged or growing in the wrong direction. Remove narrow-angle branches, any upright branches, and those that are growing toward the center of the tree. Unpruned trees do not grow as well as those with proper pruning, and in the event of drought, they might not grow at all. Cutting back apple trees stimulates growth and directs energy to the root system that likely was damaged during digging and replanting. Pruning helps shape the tree for maximum production in a few years. You’ll want to keep a balance between the root system and the tree for the best growth. Late winter is the appropriate time for pruning, during the tree’s dormant period. Depending on where you purchased your Liberty apple tree, it may have been pre-pruned. If so, wait until the following winter to prune again. Other care for the Liberty apple tree includes planting another apple tree nearby for purposes of pollination. Existing apple trees in the area will likely work. When planting young trees, cover the planting area with shade cloth in spring to keep roots cool and hold down weeds. Take a soil test to determine which nutrients your newly planted trees need. Fertilize accordingly and enjoy your apples.

When we think of an apple, it is most likely the shiny, red fruit like the one from which Snow White took a fateful bite that comes to mind. However, there is something very special about the slightly tart, crisp bite of a yellow apple. There aren't very many of these tasty fruits, but the few yellow apple cultivars available really stand out. If you are looking for apple trees with yellow fruit, read on for some outstanding varieties.

Choosing Yellow Apple Varieties

Apple harvest means pies, cider, and delicacies like fruit and cheese pairings. Most of the commercially grown apples that are yellow are chance seedlings or sports of other varieties. Some of the classics, such as Jonagold, may be very familiar but others are relatively new yellow apple varieties. There are some real gems in the list, one of which may fit your garden needs.

Classic Apples That are Yellow

It is often safest to go with tried and true varieties. The following is a list of oldies but goodies that you will recognize from your childhood:

• Jonagold – A mix of Jonathan and Golden Delicious. Use fresh or in cooking.
• Crispin – Has been a staple since the 1960's. Good in pies but any other purpose as well.
• Golden Delicious – Slices were in my lunch box daily for years. Butter and honey flavor.
• Newtown Pippin – Named by Thomas Jefferson.
• Rhode Island Greening – A classic American variety that has been planted since 1650.

Each of these yellow apple cultivars have been around for decades and may be residing in the form of a frozen pie or canned sauce at your home currently. All are economically important yellow apple trees and heavily exported.

Newer Apple Trees with Yellow Fruit

Almost every fruit industry is constantly breeding, and doing trials of new varieties and apples are no exception. Many of these were actually discovered by accident but some were carefully bred to eliminate certain traits, such as blushing, for a perfectly yellow apple:

• Blondee – Creamy flesh and bright, pure yellow skin. Bred from Gala.
• Criterion – A happy accident from Golden Delicious. Sweet smelling, juicy fruits.
• Gingergold – An early season fruit.
• Golden Supreme – From Golden Delicious but produces a tarter apple.
• Silken – A nother early apple. Nearly translucent skin.

Imported Yellow Apple Varieties

Washington State and several other temperate regions in the United States are big apple producers but they aren't the only place apples flourish. Yellow apple trees are being developed in Asia, the Netherlands, France and many other countries and locales. Breeding apples that are yellow isn't high on the list, but there are still several delicious varieties:

• Belle de Boskoop – From the Netherlands. Good for any uses
• Gravenstein – A classic from Denmark with traditional flavor
• Alderman apple – Probably from Scotland, 1920's
• Antonovka – Small fruits originating from Russia
• Medaille d'Or – A classic French variety used in ciders

There are over 750 varieties of apple with numerous golden yellow varieties. These were just a few but your local extension office can help you decide which varieties are best suited to your region.

Not all apples are created equal; they each have been selected for cultivation based on one or more outstanding criteria. Usually, this criterion is flavor, storability, sweetness or tartness, late or early season, etc., but what if you just want a red apple cultivar. Again, not all apples that are red will have the same attributes. Choosing red apples for your garden is a matter of taste as well as of the eye. Read on to learn about apple trees with red fruit.

Choosing Red Apples

As mentioned above, choosing an apple tree with red fruit is a matter of taste, of course, but there are a few other considerations. About the only thing that apples that are red have in common is, that they are red. First off, not every red apple variety will be suited to your neck of the woods. Be sure that you are selecting only apples that thrive in your region. Also, take a look at their ripening time. You may want early or late harvested apples. Some of this has to do with your USDA zone, length of growing season, etc. and some has to do with flavor. And what do you plan to primarily use the apples for? Eating fresh, canning, pie making? These are all important things to consider and look for when choosing the perfect red apple tree variety.

Red Apple Cultivars

Here are some of the most commonly grown red apples to choose from: Arkansas Black is such a deep red it’s almost black. It is a very firm apple, sweet and tart, and is an excellent long storing apple. Beacon was introduced in 1936 and is slightly tart, with soft, juicy flesh. The tree is hardy yet susceptible to fire blight. Fruit ripens mid- to late August. Braeburn is a dark red apple with a bold, sweet, and spicy flavor. The skin color of this apple actually varies from orange to red over yellow. An apple from New Zealand, Braeburn makes excellent applesauce and baked goods. Fuji apples hail from Japan and are named after its famous mountain. These super-sweet apples are delicious eaten fresh or made into pies, sauces, or other baked goodies. Gala apples are sweet smelling with a crisp texture. Originating from New Zealand, the Gala is a multi-use apple perfect for eating fresh, adding to salads, or cooking with. Honeycrisp is not entirely red, but rather red mottled with green, but nonetheless worthy of mention for its complex flavors of both tart and honey-sweet. These ultra-juicy apples are perfect eaten fresh or baked. Jonagold is an early apple, a combination of Golden Delicious and Jonathan apples. It can be stored for up to 8 months and has a juicy, nicely balanced flavor. McIntosh is a Canadian cultivar that is crisp and sweet and can be stored up to 4 months. If you’re looking for the stereotypical apple that the witch tricked Snow White into eating, look no further than the classic Red Delicious. This crunchy, snacking apple is bright red and heart shaped. It was discovered by chance on the farm of Jesse Hiatt. Rome has smooth, bright red skin and sweet, juicy flesh. Although it has a mild flavor, it grows deeper and richer when baked or sautéed. State Fair was introduced in 1977. It is more of a striped red. The tree is susceptible to fire blight and prone to biennial bearing. The fruit has a short shelf life of 2-4 weeks. This is only a partial list of red apple varieties available. Other cultivars, all of which are predominantly red, include:

• Breeze
• Cameo
• Envy
• Fireside
• Haralson
• Jonathan
• Keepsake
• Prairie Spy
• Red Baron
• Regent
• Snow Sweet
• Sonya
• Sweet Tango
• Zestar

Few things can beat a fresh, crisp apple, right off the tree. This is especially true if that tree is right in your own backyard, and if the apple is a tart, tasty green variety. Growing green apples is a great way to enjoy fresh fruit, and to add some variety to the other types of apples you already enjoy.

Enjoying Apples That are Green

Apples that are green have a more pronounced tart and less sweet flavor than red varieties. If you love apples of all types, green varieties have their place. They taste great when eaten raw and fresh, just as a snack. 

They also add a delicious crunch and fresh flavor to salads and are the perfect counterbalance in flavor to salty, rich cheeses like cheddar and blue cheese. Slices of green apple hold up well in sandwiches and can be used in baking to balance the sweet flavor of other apples.

Green Apple Tree Cultivars

If you are inspired to add one or more green apple varieties to your home orchard, you have a few great options: 

Granny Smith: This is the classic green apple and the variety that everyone thinks of when thinking green. In many grocery stores, this is the only green apple you will be able to find. It is a worthy choice and has a dense flesh that is very tart. That tart flavor holds up well in cooking and baking. 

Ginger Gold: This apple is green to golden in color and was developed in Virginia in the 1960s. It was found growing in an orchard of Golden Delicious trees. The flavor has more tartness than the Golden Delicious, but it is sweeter than a Granny Smith. It is a great, fresh-eating apple that ripens earlier than other varieties. 

Pippin: The Pippin is an old American variety, dating back to the 1700s. It came from a pip, which is a chance seedling, on a farm in Newtown, Queens. It is sometimes called a Newtown Pippin. Pippins are green but may have streaks of red and orange. The flavor is tart to sweet, and because of its firm flesh, it excels as a cooking apple.

Crispin/Mutsu: This Japanese variety is green and very large. One apple is often too much for one person. It has a sharp, tart, but still sweet flavor and is great eaten fresh and when baked or cooked.

Antonovka: This old, Russian variety of apples will be hard to find, but worth it if you can get your hands on a tree. Originating in the early 1800s, the Antonovka apple is green and bracingly tart. You can eat the apple raw if you can handle it, but these are excellent apples for cooking. It is also a great tree to grow in colder climates, as it is hardier than most varieties.

These days many gardeners are using their garden spaces to grow a mixture of ornamental and edible plants. These multi-functional beds allow gardeners the opportunity to grow their favorite fruits or veggies at home year after year, rather than running to the grocery store weekly for fresh produce. An apple tree that not only produces an abundance of fresh fruit but also makes an appealing landscape plant is Sweet Sixteen. Continue reading to learn how to grow a Sweet Sixteen apple tree.

Sweet Sixteen Apple Info

Sweet Sixteen apples are loved by apple fans because of their sweet, crisp fruit. This apple tree produces an abundance of medium to large mid-season apples. The skin is a blushing pink to red color, while the sweet, juicy, crisp flesh is cream to yellow. Its flavor and texture has been compared to that of MacIntosh apples, only Sweet Sixteen is described as much sweeter tasting. The fruit can be eaten fresh or used in a variety of apple recipes, such as cider, juice, butter, pies, or applesauce. In any recipe, it adds a unique sweet, yet slightly anise-like flavor. The tree itself can grow up to 20 feet (6 m.) tall and wide, providing a uniquely shaped small to medium sized flowering and fruiting tree for landscape beds. Sweet Sixteen apple trees produce small, sweet-smelling blossoms in spring, followed by fruit which is ready to harvest in mid to late summer. Sweet Sixteen apples do require a nearby pollinator of another apple species to produce blossoms and fruit. Prairie Spy, Yellow Delicious, and Honeycrisp are recommended as pollinators for these trees.

Sweet Sixteen Apple Growing Conditions

Sweet Sixteen apple trees are hardy in U.S. zones 3 to 9. They require full sun and well-draining soil that is rich in organic matter for proper growth. Young Sweet Sixteen trees should be pruned regularly in winter to promote a strong, healthy structure. At this point, water sprouts and weak or damaged limbs are pruned out to redirect the plant’s energy into strong, supportive limbs. Sweet Sixteen apples can grow 1 to 2 feet (31-61 cm.) per year. As the tree ages, this growth can slow down and fruit production may also slow. Again, older Sweet Sixteen trees can be pruned in winter to ensure new, healthy growth and better fruit production. Like all apple trees, Sweet Sixteen can be prone to blights, scabs, and pests. Using a horticultural dormant spray in winter for fruit trees can prevent many of these problems. In spring, apple blossoms are an important source of nectar for pollinators, such as orchard mason bees. To ensure the survival of our beneficial pollinator friends, pesticides should not be used on any apple with buds or blooms.

Mutsu, or Crispin apple, is a variety that produces tasty, yellow fruits that can be enjoyed fresh or cooked. The tree grows similarly to other apples but may have some disease susceptibility. Crispin is the result of a cross between an American and a Japanese apple.

Crispin Apple Information

The Crispin apple comes from a cross between Golden Delicious and a Japanese apple known as Indo. The fruits are prized for their complex flavor with notes of spice, sweetness, and honey. It is also very juicy. Crispin can be eaten raw and fresh, but it also stands up well and holds its shape in cooking and baking. These apples can also be stored for several months. Mutsu or Crispin apples ripen around the end of September, although one problem with these trees is that they may only produce fruit biennially. It is also important to know that Crispin trees will not pollinate other apple trees, but it can be pollinated by any other variety nearby.

Growing a Crispin Apple Tree

Growing Crispin apple trees is much like growing any other type of apple. Give it plenty of space to grow to a width of 12 to 15 feet (3.5-4.5 m.) and to have good air circulation to prevent disease. Make sure the soil drains well and that the tree will get a half to a full day of direct sunlight. Place it near to another apple tree for pollination. Water your tree until it is established and then Mutsu apple care is pretty straightforward. Water during drought conditions, provide occasional fertilizer, and prune the tree for shaping and healthy growth once a year. Watch your Crispin apple tree for signs of disease, as it may be susceptible to cedar apple rust and is very susceptible to blister spot, apple scab, powdery mildew, and fire blight. By giving your tree the right conditions and taking care with watering and soil drainage, it is possible to avoid pests and diseases. But, because of the high susceptibility of Crispin trees, be sure you know the signs of disease and take steps to manage them early.

Snapp Stayman apples are delicious dual-purpose apples with a sweet-tangy flavor and a crispy texture that makes them ideal for cooking, snacking, or making delicious juice or cider. Attractive apples with a globe-like shape, Snapp Stayman apples are bright, shiny red on the outside and creamy while on the inside. If you’re interested in growing Snapp Stayman apples, it’s definitely a snap! Read on to learn more.

Snapp Stayman Information

According to Snapp apple history, Stayman apples were developed in Kansas near the end of the Civil War by horticulturalist Joseph Stayman. The Snapp cultivar of Stayman apples was discovered in the orchard of Richard Snapp of Winchester, Virginia. This apples is descended from Winesap, with much of the same qualities, and a few of its own. Snapp Stayman apple trees are semi-dwarf trees, reaching mature heights of about 12 to 18 feet (4 to 6 m.), with a spread of 8 to 15 feet (2 to 3 m.). Suitable for growing in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 through 8, Snapp Stayman trees perform well in northern climates. However, they need at least six to eight hours of sunlight per day.

Growing Snapp Stayman Apples

Snapp Stayman apple trees produce sterile pollen, so they need two different trees nearby to ensure pollination. Good candidates include Jonathon or Red or Yellow Delicious. Care for Snapp Staymans begins at planting time. Plant Snapp Stayman apple trees in moderately rich, well-drained soil. Avoid rocky, clay, or sandy soil. If your soil is poor or doesn’t drain well, you may be able to improve conditions by digging in generous amounts of compost, shredded leaves, or other organic materials. Dig the material to a depth of at least 12 to 18 inches (30-45 cm.). Water young trees deeply every week to 10 days during warm, dry weather. Water at the base of the tree by allowing a hose to drip around the root zone for about 30 minutes. You can also use a drip system. Snapp Stayman apples are relatively drought tolerant once established; normal rainfall usually provides enough moisture after the first year. Never overwater Snapp Stayman apple trees. Slightly dry soil is better than soggy, waterlogged conditions. Feed Snapp Stayman apples trees with a good, all-purpose fertilizer when the tree begins to produce fruit, usually after two to four years. Don’t fertilize at planting time. Never fertilize Snapp Stayman apple trees after July; feeding trees late in the season produces tender new growth that is susceptible to damage by frost. Prune Snapp Stayman apple trees every year after the tree has finished producing fruit for the season. Thin excess fruit to ensure healthier, better-tasting fruit. Thinning also prevents breakage caused by the weight of the apples.

Braeburn apple trees are one of the most popular varieties of apple trees for the home garden. They are favored because of their delicious fruit, dwarf habit and cold hardiness. If you live in U.S. hardiness zones 5-8 and are looking for a delicious, easy-to-grow apple tree, Braeburn may be just what you want. Continue reading for tips on growing Braeburn apples.

Braeburn Information

Braeburn apple trees grow about 15 to 20 feet (4.5 to 6 m.) tall and wide. With the proper pollinator, Braeburn apples will produce a plethora of white, sweetly scented apple blossoms in spring. These blossoms are an important nectar source for many pollinators. When the blooms fade, the trees produce large orange to red streaked apples which are usually harvested in October. Many apple lovers rate the flavor of Braeburn higher than other classic favorites such as Granny Smith. They can be eaten fresh or used in any apple recipe. As mentioned above, to get the highest yields from a Braeburn apple tree, you should have another nearby tree for cross pollination. However, a rare thing in the world of apples, Braeburns are self-fertile, meaning you can still get fruit even if you only have one tree. That being said, for higher yields, it is still recommended that you plant a second Braeburn apple in your landscape. Fuji, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp and MacIntosh can also be used as pollinators. Typically, a Braeburn tree will start producing fruit in its first or second year.

How to Grow Braeburn Apples at Home

To produce large, delicious fruits, Braeburn apple trees require 6 to 8 hours of full sun exposure each day. They also grow best in rich, fertile, well-draining soil. Like other apple trees, Braeburn should only be pruned to shape and remove sick, damaged or weak limbs when the tree is dormant in winter. At this point, it is also recommended to use horticultural dormant sprays to prevent common diseases and pests of apple trees. Be certain to use sprays designed specifically for edibles. Braeburn apples are highly regarded for their high yields and quick growth. They typically require very little care or maintenance besides annual pruning and spraying. However, drought can severely impact the fruit yield of Braeburn. In times of drought, be sure to water your Braeburn apple tree deeply, especially if the foliage looks wilted, drops or if fruit begins to prematurely drop.

There are so many varieties of apples to grow, it can seem almost impossible to pick the right one. The least you can do is get yourself acquainted with some of the varieties that are offered so you can have a good sense of what you’re getting into. One very popular and beloved variety is the Cameo, an apple that came into the world purely by chance. Keep reading to learn more about how to grow Cameo apples and Cameo apple tree care.

Cameo Apple Information

What is a Cameo apple? While most commercially available apples are the product of rigorous cross breeding by scientists, Cameo apple trees stand out because they came into existence all on their own. The variety was first discovered in 1987 in an orchard in Dryden, Washington, as a volunteer sapling that sprang up on its own. While the tree’s exact parentage is unknown, it was found in a grove of Red Delicious trees near a grove of Golden Delicious and is thought to be a natural cross pollination of the two. The fruits themselves have a yellow to green base under bright red striping. They are medium to large in size and have a nice, uniform, slightly elongated shape. The flesh inside is white and crisp with a good, sweet to tart flavor that is excellent for fresh eating.

How to Grow Cameo Apples

Growing Cameo apples is relatively easy and very rewarding. The trees have a long harvest period starting in mid-autumn, and the fruits store well and stay good for 3 to 5 months. The trees are not self-fertile, and they are very susceptible to cedar apple rust. If you grow Cameo apple trees in an area where cedar apple rust is a known problem, you should take preventative measures against the disease before symptoms appear.

One of the better-known varieties of apple are the Fuji. These apples are known for their crisp texture and long storage life. According to Fuji information, they are a Japanese hybrid crossed from Red Delicious and Virginia Ralls Genet. Growing Fuji apples in your landscape will allow you access to fresh apples with amazingly sweet tones. Read on for some Fuji apple tree care that will start you on the road to enjoying these fruits right out of your own tree.

Fuji Apple Information

Fresh, crunchy, sweet/tart apples are one of life's simple pleasures. Fuji apple trees produce perfectly balanced fruits that remain fresh tasting for a long time. Fujis are warm climate apples but are considered hardy down to USDA zone 4 and up to 8. Some tips on how to grow Fujis will have you picking these sugary fruits right from your backyard tree. Fuji apple trees grow 15 to 20 feet wide with the same spread (4.5-6 m.). The fruits contain 10 to 18 percent sugar and are excellent for eating right off the tree, in pies, or sauce. Flowers consist of pretty creamy white to pink blooms. The apples are round, medium to large with yellowish green skin often blushed with pink or red. Occasionally, the skin will be attractively striped. Amazingly, the fruits can keep for up to a year if refrigerated properly. Fuji apple trees, like most apples, need a pollinating partner. Gala, Jonathan, Golden Delicious, or Granny Smith are good suggestions.

How to Grow Fujis

Fuji apples need to be sited in a location where they will receive 200 to 400 chill hours to flower and fruit. This is considered a "low chill" apple, since many varieties need many more chill hours and are only suitable for cold, northern climates. Select a location with full sun for best production. Soil should be well draining, nutrient rich loam. Plant trees while still dormant in the cool season but when hard freezes are not expected. Young trees may need a stake initially to keep them growing straight as well as some training to develop an open vase-like shape with sturdy scaffold branches. Keep young trees well watered.

Fuji Apple Tree Care

Once established, growing Fuji apples is a breeze. Thin the apple trees annually to prevent crowding of fruit. Prune when dormant and remove any vertical branches, crossed limbs, broken, or diseased wood. After ten years, remove some of the fruiting spurs to make room for new producing material. Spread mulch around the base of the tree at the root zone to conserve moisture, limit weeds, and gradually feed the tree as the mulch decomposes. Fuji apples are susceptible to fire blight, apple scab, cedar apple rust, and powdery mildew. Apply copper-based fungicides in spring. You can expect ripe fruit around mid-October. Store them gently in cool temperatures or refrigerate what you can't gobble up immediately.

Apple sauce, hot apple pie, apples, and cheddar cheese. Getting hungry? Try growing a Pristine apple and enjoy all of this from your own garden. Pristine apples have a long storage life and become ready early in the season. It's a fairly young cultivar from the 1970's that was introduced as the result of trials at Purdue University. Some tips on how to grow Pristine apples will have you enjoying the crisp, tangy flavor of the fruit in just a few years.

Pristine Apple Facts

Pristine apple trees produce outstanding fruit with good disease and pest resistance. The plants are the result of an early breeding experiment with 'Camuzat' as the seed and 'Co-op 10' providing the pollen. The fruits are beautiful, medium to large apples with almost perfect golden skin. Pristine apple trees were introduced in 1974 and originally called 'Co-op 32.' This is because the variety was developed with the cooperation of the New Jersey, Illinois, and Indiana breeding stations and was likely the 32nd cross. When it came to the public eye in 1982, the name was changed to Pristine as a remark on its smooth, unblemished appearance. Also, the letters "pri" in the name are a nod to the breeding partners Purdue, Rutgers, and Illinois. The fruit ripens in summer, around July, and has a softer crunch than later crops. Pristine apple facts also tout this cultivar’s resistance to apple scab, fire blight, cedar apple rust, and powdery mildew.

How to Grow Pristine Apples

Pristine trees are available in standard, semi-dwarf, and dwarf. A pollinating partner is needed when growing a Pristine apple. Cortland, Gala, or Jonathan work well. Site trees in full sun in well-draining, fertile loam with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Dig holes twice as deep and wide as the roots. Soak bare root trees in water for up to two hours prior to planting. Plant grafted trees with the graft above the soil. Firm soil well around the roots and water in well. Young trees will need consistent water and staking. Prune the first two years to establish a strong leader and scaffold branches.

Pristine Apple Care

Once they are mature, apple trees are fairly easy to care for. Prune them annually when dormant to remove dead or diseased wood and promote horizontal branches and air circulation. Every ten years, remove old fruiting spurs to make way for new ones. Fertilize apple trees in early spring. Trees in regions prone to fungal disease will need copper fungicide applied early in the season. Use sticky traps for many apple pests and horticultural oil, sprays such as neem, for others. Harvest Pristine just as it gets a full golden color with no trace of yellow. Store the apples in a cool, dry location or in the refrigerator and enjoy these tasty fruits for weeks.

“Spicy and crisp with rich aftertaste” sounds like a description of a special wine, but these words are also used about Winesap apples. Growing a Winesap apple tree in the home orchard provides a ready supply of these luscious fruit with their complex sweet-sour taste, perfect for eating off the tree, baking, or juicing. If you would like to learn how easy backyard Winesap apple trees can be, read on. We’ll give you lots of information about Winesap apples plus tips on how to grow Winesap apples.

About Winesap Apples

Mixing sweet and tart flavors, the flavor of Winesap apples has many of the qualities of a fine wine, resulting in the common name of the tree. It originated in New Jersey over 200 years ago and has won the loyalty of many gardeners since. What makes Winesap apples so appealing? The fruit itself is a draw, delicious and crunchy, yet keeping well in storage up to six months. The apples are wonderful, but the tree has many attractive qualities as well. It grows on many soil types, including clay. It is immune to cedar apple rust, requires little maintenance, and produces a reliable harvest year after year. The tree is also ornamental. In the spring, Winesap apple trees provide a lacy show of white or soft pink blossoms. In the fall, when the apples ripen, their red color provides a striking contrast to the green canopy. That’s just about the time to start a harvest. You can find different progeny of Winesap apples, including the Stayman Winesap, Blacktwig, and Arkansas Black apple trees. Each has its own particular features that may work well for your orchard.

How to Grow Winesap Apples

If you are thinking of growing a Winesap apple tree, you’ll be happy to learn that the tree is not a picky prima donna. It’s a low-maintenance, easy-grow apple tree in its hardiness zone range, from USDA hardiness zones 5 through 8. You’ll need to plant Winesap apple trees in a location that gets six or more hours a day of direct, unfiltered sun. A proper site makes Winesap apple care even easier. Those already growing a Winesap apple tree say that a wide variety of soils will do just fine, from sand to clay. However, they do best in acidic, loamy, moist, and well-drained soil. One term that doesn’t apply to these trees is “drought resistant.” Provide regular irrigation for those juicy apples as part of your weekly Winesap apple care. You can find Winesap apple trees in regular, semi-dwarf, and dwarf forms. The taller the tree, the longer you have to wait for fruit production.

Akane is a very appealing Japanese variety of apples that is prized for its disease resistance, crisp flavor, and early ripening. It is also quite cold hardy and attractive. If you are looking for a cultivar that can stand up to disease and extend your harvesting period, this is the apple for you. Keep reading to learn more about Akane apple care and Akane growing requirements.

What are Akane Apples?

Akane apples originate from Japan, where they were developed by the Morika Experimental Station sometime in the first half of the 20th century, as a cross between Jonathan and Worcester Pearmain. They were introduced to the United States in 1937. The height of Akane trees tends to vary, though they are often grown on dwarf rootstocks that reach a height of 8 to 16 feet (2.5 to 5 m.) at maturity. Their fruits are mostly red with some green to brown russeting. They are medium in size and a nice round to conical shape. The flesh inside is white and very crisp and fresh with a good amount of sweetness. The apples are best for fresh eating rather than cooking. They do not store particularly well, and the flesh can start to become mushy if the weather gets too hot.

How to Grow Akane Apples

Growing Akane apples is pretty rewarding, as apple varieties go. The trees are moderately resistant to several common apple diseases, including powdery mildew, fire blight, and cedar apple rust. They are also quite resistant to apple scab. The trees perform well in a variety of climates. They are cold hardy down to -30 F. (-34 C.), but they also grow well in warm zones. Akane apple trees are quick to bear fruit, usually producing within three years. They are also prized for their early ripening and harvest, which usually occurs in late summer.

One of the joys of autumn is having fresh apples, especially when you can pick them from your own tree. Those in more northern areas are told they cannot grow the Golden Delicious tree because it cannot take the cold temperatures there. There is a cold hardy substitute, however, for gardeners in colder spots who wish to grow apples. Honeygold apple info says the tree can grow and produce successfully as far north as USDA hardiness zone 3. Honeygold apple trees can take low temps of -50 degrees F. (-46 C.). The flavor of the fruit is quite similar to Golden Delicious, only a bit blander. One source describes it as Golden Delicious with honey on it. Fruits have greenish yellow skin and are ready to pick in October.

Growing Honeygold Apples

Learning how to grow Honeygold apples is similar to growing other apple tree varieties. Apple trees are easy to grow and keep at a relatively small size with regular winter pruning. In spring, blossoms decorate the landscape. Fruits ripen in autumn and are ready to harvest. Plant apple trees in full to part sun in well-draining soil. Make a well around the tree to hold water. In home orchards, apple trees can be kept less than 10 feet (3 m.) tall and wide with winter pruning but will grow larger if allowed. Keep the soil moist until the Honeygold apple tree is established.

Honeygold Apple Tree Care

Newly planted apple trees need regular water, about once to twice per week depending on the weather and soil. Hot temperatures and high winds will cause faster evapotranspiration, requiring more water. Sandy soils drain faster than clay and will also require more frequent water. Reduce the frequency of irrigation in the fall as temperatures cool down. Discontinue water in the winter while the apple tree is dormant. Once established, trees are watered every seven to ten days or once every two weeks by soaking the root zone. This guideline is the same for drought conditions, as apple trees do not need a high amount of water. Keeping soil moist is ideal rather than bone dry or saturated. How often and how much water depends on the size of the tree, time of year, and type of soil. If watering with a hose, fill your watering well twice, so water goes down deep rather than watering too frequently. If watering with sprinklers, bubblers, or drip system it is better to water long enough to reach field capacity, rather than providing little water frequently. Prune your Honeygold apple tree in winter. In home orchards, most keep their apple trees less than 10 to 15 feet (3-4.5 m.) tall and wide. They can grow larger, given the time and space. An apple tree can grow to 25 feet (8 m.) in 25 years. Fertilize organically in the winter with flower and bloom fruit tree food to help increase springtime blossoms and autumn fruits. Use organic fruit tree growth fertilizers in the spring and summer to keep leaves green and healthy.

Ashmead’s Kernel apples are traditional apples that were introduced into the U.K. in the early 1700s. Since that time, this ancient English apple has become a favorite across much of the world, and with good reason. Read on and learn how to grow Ashmead’s Kernel apples.

Ashmead’s Kernel Information

When it comes to appearance, Ashmead’s Kernel apples aren’t impressive. In fact, these rather odd-looking apples are somewhat drab, tend to be lopsided, and are small to medium in size. The color is golden to greenish-brown with red highlights. The appearance of the apple, however, is unimportant when you consider that the distinctive flavor is crisp and juicy with a pleasant aroma and a flavor that is both sweet and tart. Growing Ashmead’s Kernel apples is relatively easy, and the trees are suitable for a range of climates, including the warmer (but not hot) areas of the southern United States. This late season apple is generally harvested in September or October.

Uses for Ashmead’s Kernel Apples

Uses for Ashmead’s Kernel apples is varied, although most people prefer to eat them fresh or make super-delicious cider. However, the apples are also well-suited for sauces and desserts. Ashmead’s Kernel apples are great keepers and will retain their flavor in your refrigerator for at least three months.

How to Grow Ashmead’s Kernel Apples

Growing Ashmead’s Kernel apples isn’t difficult in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 through 9. Here are a few tips to get you started: Plant Ashmead’s Kernel apple trees in moderately rich, well-drained soil. Look for a better location if your soil is rocky, clay, or sand. If your soil is poor, improve conditions by digging in generous amounts of compost, shredded leaves, well-rotted mature, or other organic materials. Dig the material to a depth of 12 to 18 inches (30.5-45.5 cm.). Ensure the trees receive six to eight hours of sunlight per day. Like most apples, Ashmead’s Kernel apple trees aren’t shade tolerant. Water young trees deeply every week to 10 days during warm, dry weather. Normal rainfall usually provides adequate moisture once the trees are established. To water these apples trees, allow a garden hose or soaker to drip around the root zone for about 30 minutes. Never overwater Ashmead’s Kernel trees. Slightly dry soil is better than overly wet, waterlogged conditions. Feed the apples with a good, general-purpose fertilizer once the tree begins bearing fruit, usually after two to four years. Don’t fertilize at planting time. Never fertilize Ashmead’s Kernel apple trees after mid-summer; feeding trees too late in the season produces a flush of tender, new growth that is easily be nipped by frost. Thin excess apples to ensure larger, better-tasting fruit and prevent breakage of branches caused by excess weight. Prune Ashmead’s Kernel apple trees yearly, preferably shortly after harvest.

If you’re looking for an excellent baking apple, try growing Red Rome apples. Despite the name, Red Rome apple trees are not some Italian-bred apple cultivar but were, as many apples tend to be, discovered by accident. Interested in learning how to grow a Red Rome apple? The following article contains information on growing Red Rome apple trees and using Red Rome apples post-harvest.

What is a Red Rome Apple?

Red Rome apples trees are spur-bearing trees that allow fruit to form on each limb, which means more fruit! Because of their prolific yields, they were once referred to as ‘mortgage maker.’ As mentioned, they are not nor were they named for the Eternal City of Roma, but for the small town of Ohio that shares that venerable name. Initially, however, this apple was named for its discoverer, Joel Gillet, who found a chance seedling in a shipment of trees that looked unlike any of the others. The seedling was planted along the banks of the Ohio River in 1817. Years later a relative of Joel Gillet took cuttings from the tree and started a nursery with the apple he called, ‘Gillett’s seedling.’ A decade later, the tree was renamed the Rome Beauty, an homage to the town where it was discovered. During the 20th century, Rome apples became known as the “queen of the baking apples” and became part of the “Big Six,” the sextet of Washington State grown apples that includes Reds, Goldens, Winesap, Jonathan, and Newtowns.

Growing Red Rome Apples

Red Rome apples are cold-hardy and self-pollinating, although to increase their size, another pollinator such as Fuji or Braeburn would be beneficial. Red Rome apples may be either semi-dwarf or dwarf in size and run from 12-15 feet (3.5-4.5 m.) for semi-dwarf or 8-10 feet (2.5-3 m.) for dwarf in height. Red Rome apples will keep for 3-5 months in cold storage.

How to Grow a Red Rome Apple

Red Rome apples can be grown in USDA zones 4-8 but, surprisingly, due to their low chilling requirements, can be grown in warmer regions as well. They produce shiny, red apples in just 2-3 years from planting. Select a site to plant the Red Rome tree that is in full sun in loamy, rich, well-draining soil with a soil pH of 6.0-7.0. Prior to planting, soak the tree’s roots in a bucket of water for an hour or two. Dig a hole that is wide enough to accommodate the rootball plus a little extra. Loosen the soil around the rootball. Situate the tree so it is perfectly vertical and its roots are spread out. Fill in around the tree with the soil that has been dug out, tamping down to remove any air pockets.

Using Red Rome Apples

Red Rome apples have thick skins that make them excellent baking apples. They will keep their shape when sautéed or poached or when cooked in any other manner. They also make delicious pressed cider as well as pies, cobblers, and crisps. They are good for eating fresh from the tree too.

Wolf River apple growing is great for the home gardener or orchard that wants a unique, old variety that produces large and versatile fruits. This apple has a delicious flavor, but another great reason to grow the tree is for its disease resistance, making care relatively easy.

Wolf River Apple Info

The origins of the Wolf River apple variety go back to the late 1800s when a Wisconsin farmer planted Alexander apples along the Wolf River. By chance he got some monster-sized apples, which were then propagated and eventually came to be called Wolf River apples. The fruit of today’s Wolf River apple trees grow up to eight inches (20.5 cm.) in diameter and can weigh more than a pound (450 g.). If you’re wondering what to do with Wolf River apples, try anything. The flavor is mild and sweet with a little bit of spiciness. This apple is traditionally used for cooking, as it holds its shape and is sweet, but it can be used successfully in juicing and drying and is perfect to eat out of hand.

How to Grow Wolf River Apples

Wolf River apple growing is similar to growing any other apple tree. The tree will grow up to 23 feet (7 meters) and needs about 30 feet (9 meters) of space. It prefers full sun and soil that drains well. It will take about seven years to bear fruit, so be patient and make sure you have another variety of apple tree nearby for pollinating. Thanks to good disease resistance, Wolf River apple tree care is pretty simple. Always be aware of signs of disease to catch early, but this tree has decent resistance to mildew, scab, canker, and cedar apple rust. Water your Wolf River tree until it is well established and then only water as needed. Begin to harvest your apples around early October, but if you want to leave some on the tree, you can do so for about a month and you may get even sweeter fruits.

Jonagold apple trees are a cultivar that have been around for a while (introduced in 1953) and have stood the test of time by still being a great choice for the apple grower. Interested in learning how to grow Jonagold apples? Read on for Jonagold apple info regarding growing Jonagold apples and Jonagold uses.

What are Jonagold Apple Trees?

Jonagold apples, as their name suggests, are derived from Jonathan and Golden Delicious cultivars, inheriting many of the best qualities from their parents. They are super crisp, large, yellow/green apples blushed in red, with creamy, white flesh and both the tartness of a Jonathan and the sweetness of a Golden Delicious. Jonagold apples were developed by Cornell’s apple breeding program at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, New York in 1953 and introduced in 1968.

Jonagold Apple Info

Jonagold apples are available as both semi-dwarf and dwarf cultivars. Semi-dwarf Jonagolds attain heights of between 12-15 feet (3.5-4.5 m.) tall by the same distance across, while the dwarf variety only reaches 8-10 feet (2.5-3 m.) in height and again the same distance wide. These mid-late season apples ripen and are ready for harvest in about mid-September. They can be stored for up to 10 months in the refrigerator, although they are best eaten within two months of harvest. This cultivar is self-sterile, so when growing a Jonagold, you will need another apple such as a Jonathan or Golden Delicious to aid in pollination. Jonagolds are not recommended for use as pollinators.

How to Grow Jonagold Apples

Jongolds can be grown in USDA zones 5-8. Select a site with well-drained, rich, loamy soil with a pH of 6.5-7.0 in full to partial sun exposure. Plan to plant the Jonagold in mid-autumn. Dig a hole that is twice as wide as the rootball of the tree and slightly shallower. Gently loosen the rootball. Making sure the tree is vertical in the hole, back fill with the removed soil, patting down the soil to remove any air pockets. If planting multiple trees, space them 10-12 feet (3-4 m.) apart. Water the trees in well, saturating the ground completely. Thereafter, water the tree deeply each week but allow the soil to dry completely between watering. To retain water and retard weeds, apply 2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm.) of organic mulch around the tree, taking care to leave a 6- to 8-inch (15-20.5 cm.) ring devoid of any mulch near the trunk.

Jonagold Uses

Commercially, Jonagolds are grown for the fresh market and for processing. With their sweet/tart flavor, they are delicious eaten fresh out of hand or made into applesauce, pies, or cobblers.

Pink Lady apples, also known as Cripps apples, are very popular commercial fruits that can be found in just about any grocery store produce section. But what’s the story behind the name? And, more importantly, for the avid apple growers, how do you grow your own? Keep reading to learn more Pink Lady apple info.

What’s in a Name - Pink Lady vs. Cripps

The apples that we know as Pink Lady were first developed in Australia in 1973 by John Cripps, who crossed a Golden Delicious tree with a Lady Williams. The result was a shockingly pink apple with a distinctly tart but sweet flavor, and it began being sold in Australia in 1989 under the trademarked name Cripps Pink. In fact, it was the very first trademarked apple. The apple quickly made its way to America, where it was trademarked again, this time with the name Pink Lady. In the U.S., the apples must meet specific standards including color, sugar content, and firmness in order to be marketed under the Pink Lady name. And when growers buy trees, they have to obtain a license to be able to use the Pink Lady name at all.

What are Pink Lady Apples?

The Pink Lady apples themselves are unique, with a distinctive pink blush over a yellow or green base. The flavor is often described as simultaneously tart and sweet. The trees are famously slow to develop fruit, and because of this, they are not as frequently grown in the U.S. as other apples. In fact, they most often appear in American stores in the middle of winter, when they are ripe for the picking in the Southern Hemisphere.

How to Grow a Pink Lady Apple Tree

Pink Lady apple growing is not ideal for every climate. The trees take about 200 days to reach harvest time, and they grow best in hot weather. Because of this, they can be nearly impossible to grow in climates with late spring frosts and mild summers. They are most commonly grown in their native Australia. The trees are somewhat high maintenance, not least of all because of the standards that must be met to sell under the Pink Lady name. The trees are also prone to fire blight and must be watered regularly during periods of drought. If you have hot, long summers, however, Pink Lady or Cripps Pink apples are a delicious and hardy choice that ought to thrive in your climate.

Apple lovers who have been longing for a Gala-type fruit with just a little more complexity can consider Sansa apple trees. They taste like Galas, but the sweetness is balanced by just a touch of tartness. If you are considering Sansa apple tree growing, read on. You’ll find more information on Sansa apple trees and tips on how to grow them in the garden.

What is a Sansa Apple?

Not everyone is familiar with the delicious Sansa apple. Sansa apple trees produce a delicious, juicy, apple hybrid, resulting from a cross between Galas and a Japanese apple called Akane. Akane itself is a cross between Jonathan and Worcester Permain. If you start Sansa apple tree growing, your orchard will produce some of the first truly sweet apples of the season. They ripen late summer through fall and are ideal for eating right off the tree.

How to Grow Sansa Apples

If you are thinking of Sansa apple tree growing, you’ll want to know all about Sansa apple tree care. Fortunately, Sansa apple trees are easy to grow and maintain. You’ll do best if you live in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9 but, fortunately, that includes a large chunk of the nation. Sansa apple tree care in appropriate zones is quite easy. The variety is resistant to both apple scab and fire blight. Plant the Sansa apple tree is a spot that gets sunshine at least half a day. The tree, like most apple trees, requires well-draining, loamy soil and adequate water. Consider the mature height of the tree when you are selecting a site. These trees can grow to 16 feet (3.5 m.) tall. One issue of Sansa apple tree care is that these trees require another apple tree variety planted fairly close by in order for optimal pollination. If your neighbor has a tree, that might do just fine to get good fruit set. You won’t be able to count on eating crunchy apples the year you plant. You will probably have to wait two to three years after transplant to see fruit, but it is well worth the wait.

Ginger Gold is an early producing apple that has lovely ripe fruits in summer. Ginger Gold apple trees are an Orange Pippin cultivar that has been popular since the 1960's. With a beautiful spring display of white blushed flowers, it is a pretty and productive tree. Learn how to grow Ginger Gold apples and enjoy early fruits and a heat tolerant tree.

About Ginger Gold Apple Trees

There are many wonderful apple cultivars available for both commercial and home growers. Growing a Ginger Gold apple tree provides fresh fruit even during the heat of summer, much earlier than most apple varieties. Most fruit is ripe and ready to pick by mid to late August. Trees attain 12 to 15 feet (4-4.5 m.) in height and are considered semi-dwarf plants, making them ideal for most landscapes and easy to harvest. There are also dwarf trees that grow just 8 feet (2 m.) tall with a similar spread. The spring flowers are white tinted with pink, usually opening in April. The fruit is yellowish gold when ripe, and large with creamy white flesh. The flavor is described as crisp and sweet-tart. Fruits have a natural resistance to browning. They are best eaten fresh but also make a nice sauce or dried fruit. Ginger Gold apples keep in cool temperatures for just one to two months.

Ginger Gold Cultivation

Ginger Gold is a cross between Newtown Pippin and Golden Delicious and was developed by Ginger Harvey in Virginia. United States Department of Agriculture zones 4 to 8 are perfect for growing a Ginger Gold apple tree. This is a self-sterile tree that needs a pollinating companion such as Red Delicious or Honeycrisp. Trees need pruning early in development and take two to five years to bear, but once they do, harvests are abundant. Plant in full sun with well-draining soil when temperatures are still cool. Bare root trees should be soaked in water for one to two hours prior to planting. Stake young trees to help stabilize and straighten the main stem.

Ginger Gold Apple Care

This variety is susceptible to cedar apple rust and fire blight. Early season fungicide applications can reduce the risk of trees becoming diseased. Prune when the tree is dormant. Always prune to a bud at an angle that will cause moisture to fall away from the cut. Prune trees to a central leader with several strong scaffold branches. Encourage horizontal branches and wide angles between stems. Remove dead and diseased wood and create an open canopy. Pest issues need to be preventively dealt with by early season applications of pesticides and the use of traps. Ginger Gold is considered a light feeder of nitrogen. Feed the apple trees annually in early spring after they are two to four years of age.

Prima apple trees should be considered by any home gardener looking for a new variety to add to the landscape. This variety was developed in the late 1950s for delicious, sweet apples and good disease resistance. Prima apple tree care is easy, so it makes a perfect choice for most gardeners who love apples.

Prima Apple Information

Prima is an apple variety that was developed by a collaborative program between Purdue University, Rutgers University, and the University of Illinois. The PRI in the name Prima comes from these three schools that worked together to develop and plant the first Prima apple trees in 1958. The name also represents the fact that this was the first variety to be made by the cooperative group. Some of the apples in Prima’s pedigree include Rome Beauty, Golden Delicious, and Red Rome. Prima was bred to have good disease resistance, and it is highly resistant to scab. It has some resistance to cedar apple rust, fire blight, and mildew. This is a mid-season tree, flowering just a little before Golden Delicious. It produces apples with a superior, sweet flavor, white flesh, and a good texture. They are prized for eating fresh and for desserts and can be stored well into winter while maintaining a crisp texture.

How to Grow Prima Apple Trees

The best Prima apple growing conditions are similar to those for other apple trees. This variety is hardy through zone 4. It likes to have a lot of sun and can tolerate a range of soil types. Watering is only necessary until the roots get established and during dry periods in the growing season. For fruit to set, you will need at least one other apple variety in the nearby area. You can find Prima on dwarf or semi-dwarf rootstock, which means that trees will grow to 8 to 12 feet (2.4 to 3.6 m.) or 12 to 16 feet (3.6 to 4.9 m.) tall. Make sure you give your new tree plenty of space to grow and spread. Disease is not a big issue with Prima, but you should still watch for signs of infections or pests to attack the problem and manage it early.

You can’t ask much more of an apple than to look good, taste great, and get even better in storage. That’s the Melrose apple tree for you in a nutshell. Melrose is Ohio’s official state apple, and it’s definitely won a lot of fans across the country. If you are considering growing Melrose apples, or just want more Melrose apple information, read on. We’ll also give you tips on Melrose apple tree care.

Melrose Apple Information

According to Melrose apple information, Melrose apples were developed as part of Ohio’s apple breeding program. They are a delicious cross between Jonathan and Red Delicious. If you want to start growing Melrose apples, don’t hesitate. Sweet and sugary in taste, these apples are also visually attractive, medium-sized, round, and robust in appearance. The base skin color is red, but it is over-blushed with ruby red. Best of all is the rich taste of the juicy flesh. It’s wonderful eaten right off the tree, but even better after a time in storage, since it keeps on ripening. In fact, one of the joys of growing Melrose apples is that the taste holds for up to four months in refrigerated storage. Plus, you’ll get a lot of bang for your buck, as one tree can yield up to 50 pounds (23 kg.) of fruit.

How to Grow Melrose Apples

If you have decided to start growing Melrose apples, you’ll have the easiest time in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 9. That’s where Melrose apple tree care will be a snap. The trees are hardy to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit (-34 C.). Find a site that gets at least a half day of direct sun. Like most fruit trees, Melrose apple trees require well-drained soil to thrive. Regular irrigation after transplant is an important part of Melrose apple tree care. You can mulch around the tree to keep the moisture in the soil, but don’t bring the mulch up so close that it touches the trunk. Melrose apple trees grow to 16 feet (5 m.) tall, so be sure there’s enough room where you want to plant. Most apple trees require an apple neighbor of another variety for pollination, and Melrose is no exception. Lots of varieties will work with Melrose.

Looking for an easy and fairly reliable apple tree for the garden? Topaz may be just the one you need. This tasty yellow, red-blushed apple (there’s also a red/crimson Topaz available) is also valued for its disease resistance. Let’s learn more about growing Topaz apples.

What is a Topaz Apple?

Developed at the Czech Republic’s Institute of Experimental Botany, Topaz apples are crispy, medium to large apples with a distinctive, sweet-tart flavor often compared to Honeycrisp. Topaz apples are usually eaten fresh or in fruit salads, but they can also be used for cooking or baking. Growing Topaz apples isn’t difficult, and the trees tend to be resistant to most apple diseases. Topaz apple harvest occurs late in the season, usually from mid-October to November.

How to Grow Topaz Apples

Topaz apples are suitable for growing in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 through 8. Like all apple trees, Topaz apples require at least six to eight hours of sunlight per day. Plant Topaz apple trees in moderately rich, well-drained soil. The trees may struggle in rocky soil, clay, or sand. If your soil is poor, improve growing conditions by digging in generous amounts of organic material such as compost, shredded leaves, or well-rotted manure. Work the material into the soil to a depth of at least 12 to 18 inches (30.5-45.5 cm.). Topaz apple care includes regular watering. Water young apple trees deeply 7 to 10 days during warm, dry weather. Normal rainfall usually provides sufficient moisture after the tree is established, generally after the first year. Never overwater a Topaz apple tree. It’s better to keep the soil slightly dry rather than too wet. Don’t add fertilizer to the soil at planting time. Instead, feed Topaz apples trees with a good balanced fertilizer when the tree begins bearing fruit, usually after two to four years. Never fertilize Topaz apple trees after July; feeding apple trees so late in the season produces tender, new growth that may be nipped by frost. Thin excess fruit to ensure healthier, better-tasting fruit. Prune the trees in late fall, after Topaz apple harvest is complete.

When you think of produce from Idaho, you probably think of potatoes. In the late 1930's though, it was an apple from Idaho that was all the rage amongst gardeners. This antique apple, known as Idared, has become a rare find in nurseries and garden centers but is still a favorite apple for baking. Continue reading to learn how to grow Idared apple trees.

Idared Apple Info

The popular apple trees Jonathan and Wagener are the parent plants of Idared apples. Since their introduction in the late 1930's, Idared apples also had offspring, the most notable being Arlet and Fiesta. Idared produces medium sized, round apples with green skin that is heavily streaked with red, especially on the sides facing the sun. The skin can sometimes be a little thick, requiring peeling before eating. The flesh is a white to cream color with a sweet, yet slightly tart flavor. It is also crisp and finely grained, keeping its shape well when cooked. Idared was very popular in its day for the long storage life of about six months, and flavor that improves the longer it is stored.

How to Grow Idared Apple Trees

Idared apple trees are spur-bearing and hardy in zones 4 through 8. They prefer a rich, loamy, well-draining soil. Plant Idared apple trees in full sun where they’ll have room to grow to their average 12 to 16 feet (4-5 m.) height and width. Idared apple trees are often pruned annually to keep them about 8 feet (2 m.) tall for easy harvest and maintenance. They can also be trained into espaliers. From seed, Idared can produce fruit in two to five years. They produce their fragrant, white apple blossoms early but fruit is harvested late, usually in fall around October to early November. When growing Idared apples, you will need to have another nearby apple for pollination, as Idared apples are self-sterile. Recommended pollinators for Idared apples include:

• Stark
• Granny Smith
• Spartan
• Red Windsor
• Grenadier

Borders or berms of pollinator attracting plants are beneficial to have near small fruit tree plantings. Chamomile is also a recommended companion plant for apples.