Apple Tree Care
Introduction to Apple Tree Care
Few trees can enhance your yard with as much romance and function as apples. A pair of signature apple trees can define your home and fill your yard with beautiful clouds of sweet-smelling blooms. All this without even mentioning the delicious fruit! Apple tree care isn’t impossible, but these special trees do require special care. Here are a few things that you need to know about the maintenance of apple trees.
Types of Apple Trees
There are many types of apple trees, varying dramatically in all sorts of important features. There are differences in the types of apples that are produced, the growth habit of the tree, and where in the country the tree can thrive.
It is important to choose the right types of apple trees for your climate. Here in Northern Illinois, so close to Lake Michigan, high humidity and temperature extremes make it unlikely that you will grow apples similar to the ones you could find at the store. That said, with excellent care you can grow lovely trees that will produce apples that you will love.
Parts of an Apple Tree
Apple trees usually have two parts: the scion and the rootstock. The scion at the top determines the type of apple. The rootstock at the bottom determines when the apple will bear fruit, the growth habit of the tree, and the tree’s longevity. Both of these parts contribute to a tree’s susceptibility to pests and hardiness to cold. It is important to consider both parts of a tree in order to determine if it is a good match for your yard.
Trees grown on dwarfing root stocks are a good choice for Illinois gardens since they somewhat limit the size of an overall tree, making pruning easier. Even dwarf trees can grow up to 20 feet tall, but they stay smaller and produce earlier than standard sized trees. Regular pruning to restrict and direct growth is essential for apple tree care. Pruning apple trees is even more essential in our area, so as to prevent the pests which tend to be problematic in this climate.
How Many Trees?
A couple of trees is sufficient to provide plenty of apples for the average family. Two trees provide sufficient cross-pollination, provided they are cultivars that are well-matched to one another. Not all types of apple trees cross-pollinate well, so it is important to plan carefully.
It is difficult to store large amounts of apples without careful preparation in the form of canning or drying. In addition, pruning apple trees requires a great deal of time and effort. Therefore, it is best not to plant more than a couple of trees, especially if you intend to maintain them yourself.
Planting
Apple trees can be planted in late March or early April, when soil is thawed enough for digging and temperatures are cool. Apple trees like to receive full sun, from six to eight hours a day at minimum for good apple production.
Apple trees need fertile soil with good drainage. It is a good idea to take a soil test prior to planting. You will likely need to incorporate minerals frequently lacking from local soil, such as phosphorus. Apple tree care and maintenance is much easier when soil conditions are good.
It is a good idea to place a piece of hardware cloth around the trunk to prevent damage from mice, rabbits, or other pests. Many apple trees benefit from a permanent stake which gives them something to lean on when they are overburdened with fruit. Other trees outgrow their stakes. Research the staking needs of your variety carefully.
Apple Tree Care Tips
Pruning Apple Trees
Pruning is among the most challenging home gardening chores, especially when it comes to fruiting trees like apples. Not only does pruning present physical challenges like reaching the entire tree, but doing it correctly is essential to your tree’s health and fruit production. Here are some things to keep in mind when pruning apple trees.
Don't Over Prune
Over pruning your apple tree will not only rob your tree of valuable nutrients, but it may also negatively overstimulate growth as the tree overcompensates. Excessive pruning has extensive negative effects, damaging the tree’s overall healthy balance. Fruit may be delayed and color may not be as bright. It is much better to prune a little regularly than a lot periodically. Pruning should be done with care and moderation every year.
Clean Cuts Matter
Trees are wonderfully capable of healing themselves, provided they are healthy and are not too severely damaged. While it is possible for trees to recover from roughly hewn off branches, the larger and rougher the cut, the longer it will take for bark and sapwood to grow over and heal the wounds.
The longer it takes for a wound to heal, the more likely it is that rot-inducing organisms will move in, which can do serious and long-term damage to the tree.
Where to Cut
Pruning is one of the most challenging aspects of apple tree care, largely because of where branches should be cut. Branches should be cut where they join the parent limb. Cutting limbs so close to the tree can be challenging and require specialized equipment, but it is important not only for aesthetics, but the health of the tree. Parts of branches left behind will take time to die and fall off before the healing can begin, extending the time that it takes to heal.
When to Prune
Pruning apple trees too early in Winter or Fall leaves them vulnerable to damage from winter winds and may rob them of sap before it has receded for the winter. Rather, it is best to prune between February and April, during the coldest part of the year before warm spring weather sets in. This isn’t the most pleasant time in which to work, but it is best for the tree.
What Branches to Prune
Choosing the wrong branches will result in a tree that is leggy and doesn't bear fruit well. Here are the branches that you should prune:
- Dead, broken, or diseased branches
- Branches growing out of reach for harvesting or maintenance
- Branches that hang down or grow upright and those that rub or cross other branches
- Branches that create narrow angles and may break under the stress of a crop
- Dense upper branches so that sunlight can reach lower limbs
* Remove branches completely rather than cutting branches back to above a side branch or bud
* Don't remove a branch unless there is a very good reason to
Fertilizing Apple Trees
Apple trees should be fertilized depending on how much they grew the season before. Weak trees with little growth need generous applications of a general fertilizer like 10-10-10 early in Spring. For trees that are growing vigorously, additional nitrogen may not be necessary. Excess nitrogen can cause more growth than is desirable, weakening the tree. Trees which are growing vigorously may still need sulfate or magnesium, about a pound for every five bushels of apples harvested. Fertilizer can be spread evenly on the soil surface under the canopy of the tree.
Apple trees often need to be supplemented with Boron. If they don't have enough, brown, soft areas will appear in the apples. Boron deficiency can be prevented by thorough watering during dry periods, but many trees still need to be supplemented with about a cup of borax every three to four years.
If your apple trees are in a lawn that is fertilized, you may not need to fertilize as much or you may need to readjust the levels of fertilizer that you are using to accommodate the lawn fertilizer. If you are using a lawn care company, combining tree and lawn services will ensure that fertilizer is balanced appropriately.
Controlling Insects and Disease
When choosing an apple tree, it is best to choose a cultivar that is highly resistant to pests, since our climate in Illinois is favorable for a variety of undesirable diseases and pests which are highly damaging to apples. The Liberty Apple is a lovely apple that is resistant to some of the diseases and pests that are most prevalent.
Even if careful choices have been made, you are still likely to find it necessary to use insecticides at some time. Insecticides which are evenly applied with the use of a sprayer can be effective against a wide range of insects, including difficult ones like the Oriental fruit moth. Apple scab, apple maggot, and Plum curculio are other important pests to be aware of.
Regular pruning is your first line of defense against all kinds of pests. An experienced arborist can easily recognize and prune diseased branches.
Do it Yourself or hire a professional?
When you take into consideration the amount of time and energy required for good apple tree care, as well as how important each decision is in the overall health of your trees, you may decide it is better to hire a professional. Arborists are highly trained professionals who understand trees in a way that the layperson is unlikely to, even if you are an enthusiastic gardener.
Every cut counts when pruning apple trees. You can easily damage the look of a heritage apple tree on your property with one bad decision. A pruning specialist understands both the art and science of shaping your apple trees.
Why not do both?
Don't feel like you have to make a decision 100% in one direction or the other. It is a wonderful idea to have an accredited arborist come to meet you and your trees and give you recommendations on care.
You may decide that you would like someone to come and do the winter pruning for you, but you don't mind fertilizing and soil testing yourself. Perhaps you want instruction as you plan the shape of your trees and learn how to prune, but after a few times watching arborists at work you feel confident about taking over the care of your trees yourself.
Choose an Experienced Arborist for Your Apple Tree Care
Choose a professional and TCIA accredited arborist like the Kinnucan Tree Experts to begin your journey into the beautiful and fascinating experience of apple tree ownership and maintenance. Kinnucan can help you with every stage, from choosing trees that cross-pollinate well and will thrive in your area to pruning, fertilizing, and caring for your trees throughout their lives. Kinnucan offers a range of other services to provide integrated care or help as you need it for your entire garden and lawn. Contact Kinnucan Tree Experts for your apple tree care needs, as well as for your other garden needs.