Apples
Apples are one of the easiest tree fruit to grow. They can be trained into numerous shapes which take up very little space, so you don’t need an orchard to grow several varieties. The easiest and quickest way to grow apples is to buy a ready-trained tree.
Varieties
There may be 2000 varieties of apple to choose from, but your garden centre will only stock a few of their favourites. First decide whether you want eaters or cookers and then find out which varieties are local to your area – they’ll be more suited to your soils and climate. You can also find ‘family’ trees that have 3 varieties grafted onto one stem and these are ideal for small gardens.
| Apples type | Suggested varieties | |
|---|---|---|
| Eaters | Braeburn, Queen Cox (self fertile), Discovery*, Egremont Russett*, Gala, Scrumptious, Sunset* | |
| Cookers | Bramley’s Seedling (tree form), Bountiful, Blenheim Orange* (on dwarfing stock) | |
*These varieties are also suitable for growing in large patio pots.
Rootstocks
Apples are available on a range of different rootstocks, which control the overall size the tree will grow to. The most common ones are shown below. The eventual size will vary depending on your soil; on heavy clay and fertile soils the trees will grow bigger, on very poor soil a very dwarfing rootstock may produce a weak tree.
| Rootstock type | Tree produced | |
|---|---|---|
| M27 (Extremely dwarfing) | Suitable for trees up to 1.8m. | |
| M9 (Very dwarfing) | Suitable for trees growing in pots or a tree up to 1.8 – 2.4m. | |
| M26 (Semi-dwarfing) | The best rootstock for growing in a pot, cordons and espaliers. Trees will reach up to 3m. | |
| MM106 (Semi-vigorous) | Producing trees up to 4.5 – 5m. | |
Pollination
Almost all apple varieties need another variety that flowers at the same time to help pollinate it and produce fruit. Even those described as self-fertile will crop better if there are other suitable varieties growing nearby. In most urban neighbourhoods another suitable tree should be within bee flying distance for this not to be a problem. In isolated gardens another variety from the same or adjoining group will be needed for heavy cropping.
Planting
Plant bare-root plants between November and March, and container-grown specimens in autumn or early spring. Dig a hole 60cm x 60cm and 30cm deep. Add a layer of Gro Your Own Soil Improver to the base of the hole and dig in. Place the roots of the apple in the planting hole so that the old soil mark is level with new soil surface.
Now mix in more soil improver to the soil and fill in the planting hole. Work into the soil surface a couple of handfuls of Gro Your Own Vegetable & Fruit Plant Food. Stake the tree so that is fully supported against the prevailing winds. Water well and add a mulch layer 5cm (2in) deep of well rotted garden compost or bark chippings around the root area.
Large patio pots (40cm – 50cm diameter) can be used to grow apple bushes that have been grown on dwarfing rootstock (M27 or M9). Use John Innes No.3 Compost, as its weight will help with stability and water regularly. Add controlled release plant food to the soil surface each spring to ensure the plant is fed throughout the growing season.
Pruning
Pruning apple trees is pretty simple once you know a few basic rules…
| Tree type | Pruning method | |
|---|---|---|
| Freestanding trees | Prune in winter. If the variety is a tip bearer, thin the branches out, to open up the centre ensuring that the remaining branches have their tips uncut. | |
| Spur-bearing varieties | Cut shoots back to about four buds to encourage new spurs to develop. Thin out spurs and remove dead or diseased wood and any branches growing towards the centre. | |
| Trained trees (eg espaliers and cordons) | Prune in late summer, when the new growth is cut back to two buds. They may benefit from a second prune in winter, when some of the older spurs can be thinned out. | |
Thinning fruit
Apples tend to thin themselves by dropping some of their fruit in early summer, known as the ‘June drop’. If you still have a bumper crop in mid to late summer you will need to thin out. Thin dessert apples to leave one or two fruit every 10cm to 12cm (4in to 5in) and cooking apples to 15cm to 20cm (6in to 8in). The centre of each fruit cluster has an apple called the king fruit, and it’s best to remove this one as it usually develops into a misshapen fruit.
Harvesting
To check if the fruit is ready, gently cup a fruit with your hand, lift, and lightly twist. It should come off in your hand easily with the stalk attached. Early cropping varieties should be eaten straight away, as they will only keep for a few days. Mid-season varieties should be eaten within a few weeks. Late cropping varieties are often inedible when harvested, so need to be stored before being ready for eating.
Store fruit in a dark cool place with good ventilation. Place in a well-ventilated or slatted box, spaced out so air can circulate between the fruit. Check regularly and remove any that are rotting.
Problems
Starvation – all trees need feeding – keep the soil beneath the branches free of grass and weeds and feed every spring with Gro Your Own Vegetable & Fruit Plant Food.
Maggots eating away at the inside of the fruit can ruin your crop. To prevent these caterpillar-like grubs burrowing into apples, spray the tree at petal fall with BugClear Gun! for Fruit & Veg (contains pyrethrins), and repeat again in mid-June and early July, 3 weeks later. These sprays will also help to reduce the problems of greenfly and red spider mites.
