There are three sizes of apple trees to choose from. These are the dwarf tree, the semi-dwarf, and the standard. The dwarf apple tree grows to about 5 to 8 feet tall, the semi-dwarf grows to 12 to 16 feet and the standard 20 to 30 feet. The dwarf varieties will not produce as much fruit as the semi or standard trees, however the wait for apples to develop are faster with a dwarf tree.
When considering what kind of apple trees to plant in your yard, you will also want to take into account the kind of taste you're looking for in the apples. The most common apple trees for home growing are honey crisp, granny smith, macoun, liberty, and red delicious. If you desire an apple that has a sweet taste then you'll want to go with the honey crisp. If you're looking for a tart tasting apple, the granny smith is the best choice. For a real crisp and firm apple, macouns are the best choice and for pie making you will want to go with the liberty or red delicious apples.
Apple trees are susceptible to 4 different diseases. These consist of conditions called fire blight, apple scab, apple rust, and powdery mildew disease. There are several kinds of trees that are less likely to contract these diseases. These are the enterprise, liberty, redfree, and freedom apple trees.
Now, on to how to best plant an apple tree. You'll want to pick a place in your yard that gets plenty of sunlight and preferably with early morning sun since this will help to reduce the chances of the tree getting the powdery mildew disease. Make sure the place you have chosen has good air circulation. The best time to plant apple trees if you live in the North is in early spring. If you reside in the South the best time to plant is in the fall.
Be sure to remove the weeds and grass from the spot you have picked in order to form a bare circle about 4" in diameter. Be sure to keep the trees roots moist during the time its waiting to be transplanted. Soak the roots in water 30 minutes prior to planting. When purchasing an apple tree its best to buy a bare root stock tree that is not any older than one year.
Begin digging a hole approximately twice the diameter of the root. Spread out the roots in the hole and make sure the bud union is raised about 2" above ground level. The bud union is where the scion meets the rootstock.
You don't want the bud union too low of a level. The reason for this is it could cause crown rot.
Apply water as you fill the hole back in with soil so any air pockets can be removed. At this time, add any soil amendments if needed. Water again after the transplant is complete. To help retain some of the moisture, apply mulch around the plant about 2"-3" deep.
Patton has a garden of his own that includes a dwarf apple tree. Gardening is a great way to relax while having the satisfaction of producing your own crops.
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