Apple Care Guide

Apple Care Guide

Growing apples can be a rewarding experience, but it requires care and attention to detail to ensure healthy trees and high-quality fruit. Here's a comprehensive guide to help you care for your apple trees and manage common pests and diseases:

Tree Size and Rootstock

Apple trees are grafted onto rootstocks that determine their size. Be sure to plan your space accordingly:

• Dwarf Rootstocks (e.g., M27, M9, B9, Geneva 40): These produce small trees, typically 6–12 feet tall, and require less space.
• Semi-Dwarf Rootstocks (e.g., M7, M26, Geneva 890): These trees grow up to 15 feet tall and need more room.
• Standard Rootstocks (e.g., MM106, MM111): These trees can grow to 30 feet tall and require a larger planting area.

Check your tree’s label for rootstock information to help plan your planting spacing. Our trees will be listed for sale online in Dwarf, Semi-Dwarf, and Standard selections, depending on availability. 

Site Selection & Planting 

• Choose a full-sun location with well-draining soil and enough space for the mature tree size (10’-30’ circle based on rootstock)
• Clear a site (minimum of 3’ in diameter) of grass and weeds to plant your tree in. Grass will compete with the young tree’s developing roots for nutrients, so it is important to keep the planting site free of weeds while the young tree grows.
• Soil requirements: Apple trees thrive in well-drained, slightly acidic soil with a pH around 6.2.
• Turn over the soil with a digging spade and plant your tree in the ground at the same depth it was planted in the pot. Keep in mind the recently turned soil will settle slightly, and it is important to make sure your tree is not planted too deep, which can inhibit growth and encourage water to sit around the roots.
•  Soil amendments: Avoid placing fresh compost or manure directly near the roots, as these can cause root rot. Instead, use slow-release minerals like rock phosphate (phosphorus) and greensand (potassium) at planting time. 
• Mulch the area around the tree, leaving the base of the trunk open. Building mulch up the base of a young tree can encourage root rot. 

Ongoing Care & Maintenance

• Watering: Make sure to water young trees, especially during hot, dry spells. Drip irrigation is ideal, as it keeps the roots hydrated without wetting the foliage, which can promote disease. Observation is key, as watering needs will vary depending on weather and climate. 
• Liming: Regular liming can help maintain a proper pH for apple trees. Apply 5 pounds of lime per 100 square feet of soil, but avoid applying too much at once. If more lime is needed, apply in smaller increments over a few months.

Fertilizing: A slow release fertilizer like plant tone or tree tone can be applied annually in the fall.

Pruning

Pruning your apple tree is important for its overall health and fruit production. Here's how to approach it:

• Pruning should be performed on mild-weathered (above 40 degrees) days in late winter, when trees are still dormant and have not yet broken bud. For our nursery in zone 7b in central Virginia, the best time is typically late January to mid February. By the week of March 1st, many of our trees will begin to break bud, and it’s too late to prune at that time. 
• When working with mature trees, you may need to do a pretty heavy pruning (up to ⅓ of the growth. This will generally encourage a healthy flush of new growth the following season. Corrective pruning of this new growth can be pruned in summer. 

1. Open and Round Shape: Aim for an open, round-headed structure to allow sunlight to penetrate the canopy. Some apple varieties may naturally take a central leader shape, but most benefit from an open structure.
2. Removing Overlapping Branches: After about the 5th year, remove branches that overlap, as they will not receive sufficient sunlight and may lead to poor fruit production.
3. Suckers Below the Graft: If you notice suckers growing below the graft, remove them immediately. These can divert energy from the main tree and become difficult to prune if left unchecked.
4. Flower Buds: Larger buds on your tree are usually flower buds, and smaller buds are usually leaf buds. By identifying these early, you can anticipate where the fruit will develop and plan for proper thinning.
5. Thin Fruit: Once flower clusters set, thin out all but one fruit per cluster. This will help ensure that the remaining fruit grows larger and healthier, with optimal spacing of 3–4 inches between each apple.

Sunscald Protection

Apple trees, especially those planted in hot, dry climates, can suffer from sunscald injury. This is caused when the temperature swings dramatically from day to night, causing the sap to rise and freeze. To protect your trees:

1. Paint the Trunk: In late winter, apply white latex paint to the trunk (not oil-based, which can block airflow). The paint reflects sunlight and helps regulate temperature fluctuations.
2. Clean the Trunk: If there are black spots on the tree trunk, caused by honeydew from aphids or sap injury, clean them off with soap and water. This helps prevent sunscald by removing excess dark material that could absorb heat.

Insect and Pest Control

Apples are susceptible to a variety of pests, but there are effective ways to minimize damage:

1. Surround Crop Protectant: This clay-based product, often used by organic growers, is effective in preventing pest damage. It works by deterring insects like codling moths, plum curculios, leafhoppers, and aphids. After the petals fall, spray Surround on the fruit to cover it completely. Reapply every 7–14 days for up to 5 weeks to protect the fruit.
2. Codling Moth: One of the most damaging pests for apples, the codling moth causes worm damage inside the fruit. You can disrupt mating using pheromone ties, which release a scent that confuses the male moths and prevents them from mating. This method can be highly effective in controlling codling moth populations without using chemicals.
3. Japanese Beetles: Though apples are not as prone to Japanese beetle damage as other fruits like cherries, they can still be affected. Beetle Gone, a bacillus insecticide gives excellent results.  Applying Surround before the beetles emerge will also help deter them. Even late applications can still provide control, especially in areas with heavy infestations.
4. Plum Curculio: This pest can cause serious damage to young apples. Keep fruit covered with Surround during the first four weeks after petal fall to protect against plum curculio. This pest is especially active in June, so ensure you have continuous coverage.

Disease Control

 

We select apple varieties to sell based on their resistance to common apple diseases like cedar apple rust, apple scab, and fire blight. Many common “grocery store” varieties are highly susceptible to these diseases so we don’t carry them, but we’ve found the varieties we select are often even better tasting than many of their better known companions. 

While apple trees are fairly resilient, diseases like powdery mildew, apple scab, and sooty blotch can still cause problems. Here’s how to manage them:

1. Regalia®: This biopesticide triggers the plant’s natural defenses and can control a variety of fungal and bacterial diseases, including powdery mildew, apple scab, and sooty blotch. It is best used as a preventative treatment and should be applied within 2 weeks of petal fall, continuing on a 7–14 day schedule.
2. Lime-Sulfur: This dormant spray is effective for killing overwintering scale insects, eggs, and mites. Combining Lime-Sulfur with Surround has been shown to provide excellent suppression of diseases like powdery mildew and apple scab.
3. Regalia and Surround Combination: For best results against both pests and diseases, use a combination of Regalia (for disease control) and Surround (for insect protection). Surround also helps to reduce sunburn damage to apples by providing a physical barrier against UV rays.

Fruit Bagging for No-Spray Apples

If you prefer to grow apples without using sprays, you can bag your fruit for a pesticide-free harvest. Use fruit bags or sandwich bags to cover each apple as soon as it is large enough to fit. This will prevent pests from damaging the fruit and ensure it remains pristine. Bags can be removed a month before harvest to allow ripening color to develop fully, or left on til harvest. 

General Tips for Healthy Apple Trees:

• Choose disease-resistant apple varieties, especially those resistant to apple scab, cedar apple rust, and fire blight.
• Regularly monitor for pests and diseases, and use organic or low-toxicity treatments when necessary.
• Prune your tree to maintain shape and improve fruit production.
• Keep your tree watered and ensure good soil drainage.

By following these guidelines, you'll ensure a healthy apple tree that produces delicious fruit year after year. Enjoy the process of growing apples and watching your tree thrive!