Apple trees

[yak651]

Any advice on planting apple trees? Anything special needed to be planted next to them to "polunate". Do male & female trees need to be planted next to each other? If so how do you tell them apart?
/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Thanks for the help...

 

[KentT]

Ideally you need to plant a different, compatible variety that blooms at the same time for best pollination. Here's a link to get you started:

NCSU site

Be sure to choose varieties that are appropriate to your climate. For mail-order, you can't go wrong with Stark Brothers, but they're a bit pricey, IMO. They also will define the best pollinators for each variety they sell:

Stark Brothers

 

[GregMVT]

I had looked into Stark Bros. when I was looking at apple trees this winter. I decided against them and ordered from St Lawrence Nursery St Lawrence Nursery They are in northern New York near Canada and have a wide variety of standard size apple trees that can stand the weather that we have. They should be arrive this week, ordered 8 trees 2 varieties 4 each.

Greg

 

[rozett]

Besides that website, another great resource is a book The BackYard Orchardist by Stella Otto (ISBN:0-9634520-3-7).

 

[plumboy]

I have that book and it is good.I put out a mix of about 30 trees so far and can really see the difference in blooming times for each kind of apple.Even have a couple of crab apples in the mix but it looks like I still need work.

 

[TOMLESCOEQUIP]

We have a nice sized apple tree in the backyard which produces great tasting apples, but they always get bug / worm infested because we don't spray it. What type of spray should I use to keep the insects off the apples, & when should it be applied ?

 

[riptides]

I have had excellent results with dish detergent in a standard spray bottle for bug control. A few drops and fill bottle with water.

I usually hit the flowering trees right after the flowers go, and then right as I detect the first bug.

Seems to work for us.

-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[MDM]

Thanks for the link to Stark Bros. I just ordered a peach, an apicot and 2 plum trees. I called them and they were very helpful. I already have a couple of Granny Smith trees and 1 peach tree. I'm going to order a couple of pears and an additional apple tree next year, and my little fruit orchard will be complete.

 

[Chuck52]

For a selection of different apple trees, try:

Vintage Virginia Apples

They have many you won't find in the usual nursery's stocks. I've bought three trees from them specifically for their value in making cider. There's another good sounding place, though I haven't bought from them yet, called Trees of Antiquity. More neat old varieties.

Chuck

 

[Chuck52]

And another possible source for those more interesting varieties:

Etter Apples

These folks will sell bench grafts as well as more developed trees. Collecting apple varieties is an interesting hobby, and can also of course yield good eating (and drinking). Since I found this site I've been thinking of ordereing a bunch of different bench grafts as a way to inexpensively expand my small collection.

Chuck

 

[KentT]

One thing to be aware of is whether the tree seedling you're buying is one grown entirely from seed (many vintage varieties are), or if it is grafted onto a different rootstock. It is the grafting of the seedling onto a different rootstock that does a couple of important things:

1. Allows you to choose how big the tree will be when it matures. They're commonly described as dwarf, semi-dwarf and standard (i.e. full) sized. But, from some nurseries you can pick the specific rootstock that the tree is grafted on, getting its unique characteristics.

2. Grafting also adds disease resistance (in addition to developing more hybrid varieties). You can graft a "traditional or heirloom" type apple on a more disease resistant rootstock and get somewhat of "the best of both worlds"....

I recommend that you research your choices a bit before ordering, because apple trees are something that you won't see the results of your decision for 5-7 years when the trees really begin bearing, and it's a bit late then to go back and change your mind. You'd have to wait another 5-7 years before any replacement trees begin bearing in earnest...

 

[DocHeb]

Chuck,
There's a double http: in your links

Corrected links:
Vintage Virginia Apples
Green Mantle Nursery

Thanks for the additional sources.

 

[Chuck52]

Sorry about that. I should have checked it before posting. BTW, a Granniwinkle apple I got from Vintage Virginia Apples last year has several apples on it this year, and one of the two crab apples, a Whitney, will also produce some fruit this year. Seem like nice healthy trees, and not much more expensive than local sources, which carry only a very limited selection.

All the apple trees I've bought from Stark Bros are also doing well. If you catch thm having a sale, which is pretty often, you can get some really good prices. I got both Granny Smith and Jonafree trees from them for (I think) about $15. Both are doing well. Of course I have to fence each tree to keep the deer off them, and I probably invest as much in the fence as the trees cost.

Chuck

 

[SPIKER]

One thing to be sure and check is the area these trees are comming from, frost/winter hardeyness ect. don't buy trees grown in FLA when you live in maine, ect.

other than that I say go for it, it is a great weay to get some relaxsation and food too. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

i HAVE ABOUT 15~20 TREES PLANTED NOW, (NOT COUNTING MY AMERICAN PLUMB AND THE NATIVE crab apples & wild apples) (sorry cap loc key)

I have just finished putting in 2 more pears, and a 3rd or 4th peach. different varrities in some cases, others they are same, I have dwarf cherries full sized ones, and dwarf apples in the johnathan & green apple varrities, and standard size in the yellow & gold varrities, all planted in a small orchards, that incumpas my misc yards. I also have planted over 200 american plumb arround the perimiter of the place. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif these are 3 year plants now planted for 3rd season, and 20 or so of them are in full bloom about 4~5' high /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif maybee a few fruits this year of of them?!! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif also one of the pear trees and a peach are full bloom which were 5~7 yr grafted trees. also in ground starting 3rd growing season....

Mark M /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[Doc_Bob]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( One thing to be sure and check is the area these trees are comming from, frost/winter hardeyness ect. don't buy trees grown in FLA when you live in maine, ect.

other than that I say go for it, it is a great weay to get some relaxsation and food too. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

i HAVE ABOUT 15~20 TREES PLANTED NOW, (NOT COUNTING MY AMERICAN PLUMB AND THE NATIVE crab apples & wild apples) (sorry cap loc key)

I have just finished putting in 2 more pears, and a 3rd or 4th peach. different varrities in some cases, others they are same, I have dwarf cherries full sized ones, and dwarf apples in the johnathan & green apple varrities, and standard size in the yellow & gold varrities, all planted in a small orchards, that incumpas my misc yards. I also have planted over 200 american plumb arround the perimiter of the place. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif these are 3 year plants now planted for 3rd season, and 20 or so of them are in full bloom about 4~5' high /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif maybee a few fruits this year of of them?!! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif also one of the pear trees and a peach are full bloom which were 5~7 yr grafted trees. also in ground starting 3rd growing season....

Mark M /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif )</font>

When you palnt, do you use an auger to dig the hole? Fill it with any special soil mixture or just refil with the soil you dug up?
Bob