Planting Apple Trees
Planting Apple Trees
by Pamela Kock
Most people associate springtime with planting season, and while apple trees can be planted through mid-March in most climates, the best time to plant them is soon after the leaves fall and the trees go dormant.
Choosing apple tree varieties may be the hardest part of the process. One important consideration is pollination. Unless nearby neighbors have apple trees, you’ll probably need to plant at least two trees that are compatible pollinators. Most nursery catalogs, and some plant tags, include information about the tree’s characteristics. Some varieties are better pollinators than others, and you’ll want to make sure your trees bloom at the same time so pollination can occur.
Apple trees are available in many sizes, from columnar and dwarf trees that grow 5 to 8 feet tall, to stately standard varieties that can grow 30 feet or taller. Smaller varieties produce fruit sooner than larger ones, but dwarfs may require extra support. Most varieties are adapted for any continental U.S. climate that has fertile soil and adequate rainfall, but some have specialized needs. Check the variety’s care requirements before making a purchase.
Apple trees need to be planted in full sunlight and spaced far enough apart so they don’t shade one another when they reach full size. If your tree arrives as a bare-root sapling, soak the roots in water for a half-hour before planting. Dig a hole twice the diameter of the roots and 2 feet deep. The bud union, where your tree was grafted onto its rootstock, should be buried 2 to 3 inches below the surface. Gently untangle and spread the roots, then fill the soil around the sapling and press the soil down firmly. Water thoroughly.
In order to produce the best quality fruit, your trees will need occasional pruning, thinning, and fertilizing. Pruning in the dormant season encourages bushier growth, while pruning in the growing season slows growth. You’ll also want to thin out the fruits when they reach about the size of a dime, so that only one apple remains on each cluster. Use 10-10-10 fertilizer, spread on the ground at the tree’s drip line (the outer edge of the branches). Apple trees should grow 8 to 10 inches per year. If growth is slower, fertilize more.
Apple trees are a lovely addition to the landscape in any season. Give them a try, and enjoy fragrant spring blooms and delicious harvests for many years.
Pamela Kock is a frequent contributor to American Profile.
first appeared: 9/21/2003
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4/2/08 2:35 PM
Contrary to this article, Cornell University recommends that you plant the tree with the bud union 2 to 4 inches above the ground.
From
Cornell:
The depth of planting on rootstocks influences subsequent tree growth. As more of the upper rootstock is left above ground at planting (i.e. the shallower a rootstock is set in the ground), the tree's ultimate growth is reduced. On the other hand, if the graft union between scion and rootstock is buried, the scion itself will produce roots, and the rootstock's size-controlling effect will be lost-resulting in a very large and vigorous fruit tree. Usually it is best to have 2 to 4 inches of the upper rootstock above ground when the soil has settled after planting.
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