TL;DR: Give apple trees full sun,1 plant at least two varieties that bloom together,5 and pick a smaller tree for easier care.2 Mulch the soil at the base to hold in moisture.3
Why Grow Apple Trees at Home
Apple trees (Malus domestica) are grown as perennials, so they stay in your garden year after year.1 You do not need acres of land to grow them.1
Ask someone to imagine a tree, and many people picture an apple tree.4 Apple trees give you spring flowers and summer shade.4 They are also fragrant, show fall colour, and attract pollinators and songbirds.1
Pollinators are the insects that move pollen between flowers. Protect them when you plan any garden treatments.
How to Plant Apple Trees
Follow these five steps for a healthy start.
- Choose a tree size. Dwarf and semi-dwarf trees are easier for home growers to manage.5 Their fruit can often be picked from the ground or from short ladders.5 A tree with a contained size also makes pruning, thinning, harvesting, and pest management simpler.2
- Find a sunny, roomy spot. Apple trees want full sun and soil with a neutral pH, which is neither acidic nor alkaline.1 A mature tree can reach 10–20 feet tall and 6–10 feet wide, so measure the space first.1
- Plant at least two varieties.5 Different varieties, called cultivars, need to be planted together for the best fruit yield and quality.5 They must bloom at the same time so pollination, the moving of pollen that sets fruit, succeeds.5 If space is tight, some nurseries sell trees with two or more compatible cultivars grafted, or joined, onto one tree.5
- Mulch around the base. Spread mulch, such as well-rotted manure, on the soil around the base of the tree.3 This helps to hold in moisture and suppress weeds.3
- Stake the tree if it needs it. A smaller root system means a tree can fall over more easily and may need staking.2
Note: A seedling rootstock is grown from an apple seed, often from McIntosh, a common hardy variety, or another one like it.2
Caring for Apple Trees Through the Year
Water and Feeding
Apple trees have moderate water needs.1 Mulch helps by holding moisture in the soil around the roots.3
Trees in regularly mulched soil should not need any additional feeding.3 If harvests are poor or the tree shows nutrient deficiency, a shortage of plant food, apply a granular fertiliser to the soil in early spring.3
Fertiliser is only needed if harvests are poor or the tree shows signs of nutrient deficiency.3 Store it where children and pets cannot reach it, and keep it from washing into streams or drains.
Pruning and Thinning
Fruit can weigh down branches if tree structure and fruit load are not managed properly.2 Pruning shapes the branches, and thinning means removing some young fruit.
Walk around your tree each month in the growing season. Look for crowded branches and heavy clusters of fruit.
Pests
Pest management is simpler on a tree with a contained size.2 Look over the leaves and fruit often so you catch problems early.
If you choose a pest treatment, follow the product label and your local regulations. Keep it away from blossoms where pollinators feed, and away from children, pets, and waterways.
Growing in a Container
Seed or potting composts are used for growing plants in containers, and a wide range of commercial peat-free composts are available.3 Peat-free mixes are made from ingredients such as composted bark and sand.3
Harvesting Apples
Smaller trees make harvesting simpler.2 On dwarf and semi-dwarf trees, the amount of fruit is also more reasonable for a home grower to manage.5
Smaller trees are quick to start bearing fruit, so you wait less for your first apples.2 The tree's fall colour is a pretty bonus.1
Quick Checklist
- Full sun and neutral soil pH.1
- Two compatible varieties that bloom together.5
- A smaller tree, staked if needed.2
- Mulch at the base, and fertiliser in early spring only if needed.3
Before you buy, check that your two chosen varieties bloom at the same time.5