Apple Trees

[TNhobbyfarmer]

I am going to plant a couple of apple trees in my back yard. I have heard that you need to plant two different varieties so they will cross pollinate better. Is that correct? Also, is there a maximum distance they should be apart so that cross pollination is maximized? Any tips appreciated. I don't have much experience with fruit trees.

 

[DFB]

Compatible varieties too...there are cross pollution charts and recommendations. Most nursery catalogs suggest different types to plant together. Plant no more than 100 ft apart.

 

[Western]

I went through this decision process on apple trees 2 years ago and decided to use Semi-Dwarf cultivars. Easier to pick and maintain and you can plant them much closer. Min are at 15'.

Find the ones that grow good in your area, then you should find the cross pollinators in the same place.

 

[adimice]

There's a really good nursery call Adams County Nursery, In Aspers Pa. Request a catalog, it's got lots of good info. especially about pollination requirements. Bare root stock at good prices.

 

[oosik]

I have full size, semi-dwarf and dwarf apples. The full size and semi-dwarf do best here. Dwarf are just too small to carry any amount of fruit without really heavy thinning. Full size trees require a lot of pruning or you need to be a monkey on the ladder at harvest time. The big problem here is getting the tree to live beyond five years. Pocket gopher love to eat the young tree roots and they kill the trees. Seems once the tree reaches five years the root system is big enough to support the tree. I over dig the hole when planting and line the entire hole with a three inch layer of broken glass. This has a tendency to keep the pocket gophers away and the tree might reach maturity. Sounds weird, I know, but unless you are into this in a commercial way its the easiest & cheapest method - and if you have gophers, it works.

 

[bcjmmac]

While you're at it, look into disease resistant varieties. There are lots to pick from with good flavor, etc, and in the long run will save you a few headaches.

 

[forgeblast]

Low spray/no spray (two that I know off the top of my head) are enterprise and goldrush. There are also columnar apple trees that do not have limbs that spread.

 

[JimRB]

I have a Granny Smith and a Jonathon growing in my front yard. Both some sort of dwarf variety. I get good yields off both trees. It took a few years for them to really start producing but now they have probably been in the ground 13-14 years. The Jonathon is bigger and produces more. I suspect they would do better if my wife would let me cut the persimmon tree down that is 20 feet away from the apple trees. I keep hoping the persimmon tree will die. I think the persimmon and the cedars would have been better off bush hogged 20 years ago before I built the place. I can't get her to let me cut down the cedars either which reduces the pasture grass production.

I do not spray and the only fertilizer the trees get is what the lawn might get. For the most part the apples look pretty good. The horses and dogs like them.

 

[TomSeller]

Here is a fairly extensive pollination chart. These are tough to keep current since new varieties come onto the market often.

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/29873341/APPLE-POLLINATION-CHART---PDF

Also, don't forget too choose similar bloom times so the varieties are blooming at the same time. The chart will help with some of that. Lastly, crabapple trees pollinate all varieties. The apples don't amount to much but if you have a number of trees, it is worth it. The are early, mid and late crabapple varieties as well.