Thought I would start a thread on apple trees and get some tips. I currently have 4 apple trees at my house and I also help care for 2 at the community garden. At my house, I have one tree that is some unknown tart red variety and has been there for a long time.

Two years ago, I got Rhode Island Greening semi-dwarf & Starkspur Red Rome Beauty Semi-Dwarf Supreme from Stark Brothers. We'll see if they produce any apple blossoms this year. Last year, I got a 5 in 1 tree from Fast Growing Trees in South Carolina. It was more expensive but a beautiful tree. It has Braeburn, Honey Crisp, Yellow Transparent, Granny Smith, and Fuji. It even had some baby apples on one branch last year but the deer ate them.

I'm anxiously waiting to see if any of the new trees will develop blossoms. The hard part about new apple trees is waiting. The mature tree I have is showing blossoms but I don't get a large harvest. Not sure why. I'm thinking about getting Ancients Rise Mix from Fedco. I did some pruning last year and also a few months ago. Hopefully that will help it.

One issue I saw on the new Stark Bros trees is that they developed leaves with yellow spots on them. I'll attach a picture later. What is it and what should I do? Is there something I should spray on trees to prevent problems? I'm not that picky about my apples, even if some develop worms. I just want to have a bumper crop.

My friend has a large apple tree that is doing great but the apples do develop a black mold on it. Still edible. Any advice there?

Yellow spots could be rust. Don't think we have that here in the UK so I can't help you there.

Black mould sounds like scab. We get that frequently since we often have cool, wet periods during summer. Some varieties are much more susceptible than others. The general advice is to dispose of fallen leaves and fruit to prevent fungal spores from overwintering. Pruning for good air flow could help. If there are other infected trees nearby not under your control then there's not much you can do apart from spray. Over here there are no food safe fungicides available to home gardeners so I can't suggest anything.

Cedar apple rust is likely what you have. I get it, but it doesn't have much of an effect on the trees. I recommend that you look into getting the variety Roxbury Russet, as an historical tree for your community.

Tormato wrote: ↑Mon Apr 26, 2021 1:49 pm Cedar apple rust is likely what you have. I get it, but it doesn't have much of an effect on the trees. I recommend that you look into getting the variety Roxbury Russet, as an historical tree for your community.

It does look like I get Cedar apple rust. Thanks for the apple suggestion. I don't have any more room on my property at the moment for trees. Will have to make sure my next house has more room!

When I plant apples, I get zip. Partly apple-cedar rust, partly other apple issues.... Trees soon die anyway.
Pears usually produce for me in spite of the fire blight.
Peaches bloom profusely, but a ton of fungus and worm issues... so... I grow for the bloom, and forget about any fruit.

Really thought the post was going to be about growing from seed and grafting!

stone wrote: ↑Tue Apr 27, 2021 9:18 am When I plant apples, I get zip. Partly apple-cedar rust, partly other apple issues.... Trees soon die anyway.
Pears usually produce for me in spite of the fire blight.
Peaches bloom profusely, but a ton of fungus and worm issues... so... I grow for the bloom, and forget about any fruit.

Really thought the post was going to be about growing from seed and grafting!

Would "chill hour requirements" have anything to do with you getting no fruit?

Tormato wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 10:26 am

stone wrote: ↑Tue Apr 27, 2021 9:18 am When I plant apples, I get zip. Partly apple-cedar rust, partly other apple issues.... Trees soon die anyway.
Pears usually produce for me in spite of the fire blight.
Peaches bloom profusely, but a ton of fungus and worm issues... so... I grow for the bloom, and forget about any fruit.

Really thought the post was going to be about growing from seed and grafting!

Would "chill hour requirements" have anything to do with you getting no fruit?

No, but thanks for asking...
The issue is one of disease and pests.
Like I said... I get pears, in spite of fire blight... but, the fire blight killed the loquats that I grew from seed...
I get figs in spite of the nematodes... I get lots of hardy orange.... the birds generally get my mulberries, elderberries, blueberries, deerberries... but, I'm ok with feeding songbirds...

Personally, I'm not interested in growing poison fruit... I'd rather keep trying things and hopefully find stuff I can grow organically.

Where are you gardening?
Your profile doesn't say.

stone wrote: ↑Fri Apr 30, 2021 7:54 am Where are you gardening?

I believe Tormato is in W Mass.

I keep checking my younger trees for blossoms but none yet.

Yes, W Mass.

For experimenting with growing apples from seed, they require 40 days of temps below 40 degrees (but no freezing). Fresh picked fruit in the fall is the best choice, as the apples haven't been in any cold storage, yet. Seeds must be kept from drying out.

i have tried starting apples from seed before several times.
they go good for a couple years, but then i have trouble keep them
alive after that due to rabbits or crushed by snow. i need to find a better
way of keeping them alive over winter. i have about six old apple trees
close to one hundred years old still producing, along with a variety of wild or deer
apples that came up after passing through some animals digestive tract. some
apples are better than others, only a couple that are true spitters.
we have made apple sauce and fresh cider with a neighbors press a number of
times. good stuff.


keith

1/2" hardware cloth takes care of the rabbits.