Growing at the Speed of Life - A Year in the Life of My First Kitchen Garden

Apple

Width: 12–25' wide,

depending on variety

Depth: 10–15'

or deeper

Height: 12–30' tall,

depending on variety

Perennial
Wat e r : Newly planted trees, moderate
watering weekly; established trees, in­
frequent watering except during pro­
longed dry periods
Sun : Full
Pests : Susceptible to a number of in­
sects that are very diffi cult to control
without preventive spraying during the
dormant season. Among the pests that
attack are scale, apple maggots, codling
moths, fruitworms, and mites. Many
pests can be controlled with phero­
mone-bated insect traps.
Diseases : Susceptible to many fun­
gal diseases that are diffi cult to control
without use of preventive spraying.
Choose varieties that are resistant to
the diseases in your region.
Soil: Well-drained, loamy, sandy, and
clay soils
Fertilizer: Aged compost around
trees each year
pH: 6.0–7.0
Varieties : There are nearly 10,000 dif­
ferent kinds, or varieties, of apples, of
which about 7,000 grow in North
America. Only about 1,000 of these are
grown commercially or in home gar­
dens. The most popular: Red Delicious,
Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, and
McIntosh.
Zones : 3–9
Planting : Plant bare root trees in
spring as soon as soil can be worked.
Harvest: From bloom to harvest, 95–
180 days, depending on variety. Should
bear fruit in the second year.
Spacing : 15–30 feet, depending on
variety
Edible: Flesh of fruit

APPLE • 63