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