Growing apple trees
Growing your own apple tree, or even starting a mini orchard is a very enjoyable and practical exercise. The feeling of wondering into your garden and picking a crisp, juicy ripe apple from your own apple tree is second to none. The flavour of freshly pick apples simple cannot be bought; often store bought varieties are grown for yield first, storage qualities second, and way down on the list is flavour, invariably this doesn’t always produce the tastiest apples.
The first thing the novice needs to think about before heading out to buy their first apple tree, is to give some considerable thought the size of apple tree you want to grow in. Rootstock is what determines how big and vigorous your tree will grow. Rootstock is a whole other subject that deserves its own page (coming soon).
Growing apple trees
Equal first place consideration must be given to flavour – are you looking for a complex, sweet desert type fruit? Or a distinctly acidic cooking apple for pastry recipes? How do you like your apple texture? Crisp or soft? Mellow and sweet? Sharp and rounded? Do you want a complex, rich flavour, with fragrant notes? Or do you just like the hit of satisfying sugary, acidity? And what about keeping qualities; there are many apple tree varieties that will last well into late spring, or varieties that are best eaten straight away.
Growing apple trees
Another vital aspect to take into consideration before you embark on growing apple trees is blossom groups.
Apple trees must have another apple tree close-by blossoming at the same time so that pollination takes place. If you live in a situation where there are other apple trees near, this may be an answer.
If you have no suitable apples trees closeby, then you will need to add compatible apple trees.
