Apple Trees

Description

The Pacific Northwest is one of the best areas for growing apples. We love these delicious treats and all of the many goodies that can be made with them.

Our Trees

Our fruit trees arrive the beginning of February. From February thru April we offer bare root fruit trees. As the weather warms and the trees begin waking from winter dormancy we plant the fruit tress in pots. These potted fruit trees are then available throughout the remainder of the year. Potted trees can be planted into your yard at any time of the year or held in the pots.

The varieties of trees that we carry are ones that will do well in our area. We have a selection of traditional favorites as well as some newer, specialty fruit trees. We order our fruit trees in early summer. If you are looking to special order something you should contact us around that time. Occasionally events like crop failures can cause shortages of certain varieties.

Tree Care

Fruit trees require some care and maintenance in order to produce the quality fruit that you’re wanting. This begins with pruning. Proper pruning will create a strong tree structure. It will help prevent diseases, improve fruit yield and ripening, and make picking easier. Start proper pruning for your trees when they are young to establish the proper structure.

Apple trees should be fertilized about four weeks before they bloom (mid February). This will put the nutrients where they are needed as the tree begins blooming and producing leaves.

Pollination

Pale pink or white blooms and leaves emerge simultaneously in early spring. Most apples will need another apple variety nearby for cross pollination in order to set fruit. The varieties need to be blooming within the same period. The main time for apples to ripen in our area is in September and October.

Planting Conditions

Apple trees should be planted in full sun with regular watering throughout the summer when fruit is developing. These trees can grow in a wide range of soils, but they will do best if planted in sandy, well drained soil. When planting in heavy soil be sure to amend with compost well.

The Problems

Apples are among the easier fruit trees to care for, however, insects and fungus can still be a problem. The best preventative practices are pruning to improve air flow and cleaning up fallen leaves and fruit off of the ground. Spraying is also recommended to keep your trees and fruit disease and bug free. Follow our Simple Spray Guide.

Tree Size

Fruit trees, like apples, are almost always grafted at the base of the trunk. The portion of the tree below that graft is the rootstock. The rootstock on trees is primarily what determines the tree size: standard, semi-dwarf or dwarfed. Rootstock can also gives the trees some disease resistance qualities and allow it to thrive in different types of soil. Check out our rootstock guide for more information about the rootstock of our fruit trees.

Our Apple Varieties

Combo Apples

A popular eating apple – also wonderful baked, in pies, sauces, salads or frozen.
Fruit: Fine textured, firm, crisp and juicy, sweet with a hint of tart
Features: Stores well. Heavy producer.
Ripening Time: October
Pollinizer: Braeburn is a triploid or a sterile variety. It is semi-self fertile, but will produce more abundantly when pollinated by another variety. Gala, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Red Delicious, Yellow Delicious are great options. However, it cannot be used to pollinate other apples.

Braeburn

A popular eating apple – also wonderful baked, in pies, sauces, salads or frozen.
Fruit: Fine textured, firm, crisp and juicy, sweet with a hint of tart
Features: Stores well. Heavy producer.
Ripening Time: October
Pollinizer: Braeburn is a triploid or a sterile variety. It is semi-self fertile, but will produce more abundantly when pollinated by another variety. Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, King, Pink Lady, Red Delicious, Yellow Delicious are great options. However, it cannot be used to pollinate other apples.

Fuji

A favorite for fresh eating.
Fruit: Medium size, red with yellowish-green base. Firm, crunch, juicy, white flesh with excellent flavor
Features: Stores well. Will take summer heat.
Ripening Time: Early to mid September
Pollinizer: Needs a pollenizer like Gala, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, King, Red Delicious, Yellow/Golden Delicious.

Gala

Gala’s size, mellow flavor and thin skin make them a perfect choice.
Fruit: Medium sized, golden-yellow skin with reddish-orange blush. Flesh is firm, crisp, sweet and juicy with excellent flavor.
Features: Stores well. Great fresh or cooked.
Ripening Time: Early October
Pollinizer: Gala is semi-self fertile, but will produce more abundantly when pollinated by another variety. Fuji, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, King, Pink Lady, Red Delicious, Yellow/Golden Delicious are great options.

Granny Smith

A popular eating apple – also wonderful baked, in pies, sauces, salads or frozen.
Fruit: Fine textured, firm, crisp and juicy, sweet with a hint of tart
Features: Stores well.
Ripening Time: October
Pollinizer: Granny Smith is semi-self fertile, but will produce more abundantly when pollinated by another variety. Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp, King, Red Delicious, Yellow/Golden Delicious are great options.

Gravenstein

Large apple with bright green skin and red striping.
Fruit: Crips, juicy, tart flesh.
Features: Stores well. Premier applesauce variety.
Ripening Time: Mid August to early September
Pollinizer: Gravenstein is a triploid or a sterile variety. It needs a pollenizer like Pink Lady. It cannot be used to pollinate other apples.

Honeycrisp

Scarlet red over yellow background.
Fruit: Well balanced sweet/tart flavor said to be “explosively crisp, fun to eat” and very juicy.
Features: Keeps until February.
Ripening Time: Ripens mid September, just before Red Delicious
Pollinizer: Needs a pollenizer like Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, King, Pink Lady, Red Delicious, Yellow/Golden Delicious.

Jonagold

Frequent taste test winner.
Fruit: Large, yellow with red-orange blush covering entire apple. Flesh is juicy and crisp with an outstanding flavor.
Features: Keeps until January. Heavy producer.
Ripening Time: Early October
Pollinizer: Jonagold is a triploid or a sterile variety. It needs a pollinizer like Fuji, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, King, Pink Lady, Red Delicious, Yellow/Golden Delicious. It cannot be used to pollinate other apples.

King

One of the best old-fashiond, heirloom apples.
Fruit: Large, red striped fruit. Crisp, coarse, juicy flesh with outstanding flavor. Sweet perfumed aroma.
Features: Stores well. Great for desserts, cooking and cider.
Ripening Time: October
Pollinizer: Needs a pollenizer like Gala, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, King, Red Delicious, Yellow/Golden Delicious.

Pink Lady

Medium to large with blushing pink skin over green.
Fruit: Snappy tartness balanced with a touch of crisp, sweet flavor.
Features: Stores well. White flesh resists browning. Excellent fresh and for cooking.
Ripening Time: Late October
Pollinizer: Pink Lady is semi-self fertile, but will produce more abundantly when pollinated by another variety. Gala, Honeycrisp, Red Delicious, Yellow/Golden Delicious are great options.

Red Delicious

Large fruit, bright red, waxy skin, pure white flesh.
Fruit: Sweet, firm, crispy and juicy.
Features: Stores well.
Ripening Time: Late September
Pollinizer: Needs a pollenizer like Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, King, Pink Lady, Yellow/Golden Delicious.

Yellow/Golden Delicious

One of the most widely planted apples in the world.
Fruit: Medium to large fruit. Firm, crisp, juicy flesh and mild, sweet, distinctive flavor.
Features: Excellent all purpose apple. Good fresh or cooked.
Ripening Time: Late September
Pollinizer: Needs a pollenizer like Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, King, Pink Lady, Red Delicious.