Now that spring has arrived, it’s the perfect time to plant apple trees! Read on to learn about selecting the right cultivar and setting up your young tree for success.
Step 1: Selecting a Cultivar
Although there are thousands of apple varieties, not all are ideal for the home grower in Ohio. Select a disease-resistant cultivar to avoid issues with diseases like apple scab, cedar apple rust, and fire blight. Apples are self-incompatible, which means you must plant more than one cultivar for your trees to produce fruit. Although, some nurseries offer trees that have two or more compatible cultivars grafted onto the same tree. The cultivars you choose must bloom at the same time for pollination to be successful, so keep that in mind as you select varieties.
Recommended early bloomers: Pristine, Pixie Crunch
Recommended mid- to late-season bloomers: William’s Pride, Redfree, Jonafree, Liberty, Enterprise, Goldrush
You may also find these cultivars in dwarf form, which are easier to manage and produce fruit earlier. However, dwarf trees require support after planting since they have weaker root systems.
Step 2: Planting Your Trees
Ordering bare-rooted trees, called “whips,” will offer you the best variety, but you can also purchase container-grown trees from local nurseries. Whips need to be planted in the spring; container trees can be planted anytime during the growing season.
Select a planting location that gets full sun, is free of spring frosts, and has good air circulation. Apples trees can grow in many soil types, although they prefer sandy loam to sandy clay loam. Soil pH should be around 6.5 (complete a soil test if needed), and good drainage is necessary for fruit production. If planting in rows, dwarf trees should be spaced eight feet apart in the row with 14 feet between rows. Larger trees should be at least 10 feet apart with 16 feet between rows.
For planting whips:
Order trees for planting in March to April. If the soil isn’t dry enough for planting when the trees arrive, you should “heel in” the plants to keep the roots from drying out. To do this, dig a small trench and cover your plants with two to three inches of soil.
When you’re ready to plant, soak the tree roots in water for half an hour. Then, dig a hole that’s deep and wide enough to fit the root system. Hold the tree over the hole and spread the roots out, with the bud union (where the top of your tree was grafted to the bottom rootstock) two to three inches above ground level. Start to cover the roots with topsoil, then pour in two gallons of water. Continue to add soil until the hole is filled. The last step is to cut your tree back to 24-28 inches above the ground and remove any broken or damaged limbs. This will help your tree branch appropriately as it grows.
For planting container-grown trees:
Start by digging a hole that’s at least two or three times the diameter of the root ball. Since most soils in Ohio don’t drain well, you’ll want your new tree to sit two to four inches higher than the surrounding soil. Place your tree in the hole, backfill with the soil you removed, and water thoroughly.
Step 3: Caring for Your Trees
It’s important to keep the area surrounding your trees (at least 12 inches from the trunk) weed-free to reduce stress. Apply two to three inches of mulch over the tree’s root zone to help keep the weeds at bay. Irrigate with two to three gallons of water per tree every two to three weeks.
To learn more about long-term care, including pruning, fertilizing, and managing pests, visit ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-1401.
Article written by Natasha Atlas, Extension Educators Coordinator with OSU Extension Madison County. Have a gardening question? Send it to us by emailing whitman.179@osu.edu.