Apples are one of the most loved and known fruits in every part of the world. Who has never tasted an apple? These are fruits that can be eaten throughout the year and which boast ancient origins: just think of the famous apple of Adam and Eve. If you too are an apple lover and have always wanted to have a small apple tree all to yourself, to see it blossom and then savor its fruits, read on.
Today, in fact, we want to give you some advice on How to Plant and Care for an Apple Tree and if you don’t have a garden, don’t worry: the apple tree can also grow in pots.
The apple tree
The apple tree (Malus Domestica) is a widespread plant cultivated almost everywhere, it is part of the Rosaceae family and falls within the pome fruit subgroup since the apple is actually a pommel: the actual fruit is only its core.
As you well know, there is apple and apple. Gala, Red Delicious, Golden, Fuji, Granny Smith, Pink Lady are just a few varieties of apples that we can normally find when we go shopping. You are really spoiled for choice, you can choose according to your tastes, but also according to what you have to do with apples (eat them naturally, cook them, prepare a cake, an extract, etc …).
An apple tree is a tree that in nature can reach 10-12 meters in height. However, those who cultivate apples, in order to facilitate life in managing the plant and during the harvesting phase, limit its height by means of suitable pruning.
If you have a beautiful garden you can plant some apple trees in a corner for self-consumption, or even just to enjoy its flowering while waiting to see some beautiful red fruits in the foliage. That said, these are fruit plants that, with due caution and care, can safely grow even in pots .
In the garden centers you will also find dwarf variety apple trees , perfect for those on the balcony who want to give themselves the whim of trying this type of cultivation. So here, if you have always dreamed of looking after an apple tree, nothing and no one forbids you from trying to grow one.
The apple tree: ideal climate and soil for growth
We begin to understand what are the ideal conditions for growing an apple tree. However, this prefers sunny positions and with good air circulation .
The ideal environment for growing these plants is a temperate-cold climate ; just think that the Italian apple area par excellence is Trentino Alto Adige. Apple trees are not only able to tolerate extreme temperatures down to -25 ° C well, thus finding space even at high altitudes, but the presence of cold for many varieties of apples is an indispensable condition for the plant to produce its fruits best way possible.
The fact remains that some apple varieties, such as Annurca for example, can also be grown in areas characterized by milder winters. Therefore, those who live in the south of Italy will have to focus on this type of apple tree to be successful.
As for the soil, the apple tree is a plant with few pretensions, although it prefers a rich, consistent, deep and fairly well drained soil . The only real precaution to observe concerns limestone : if present in excess it can damage the cultivation, but at the same time too low levels of calcium can lead to the phenomenon of bitter pit.
How to Plant and Care for an Apple Tree
To have an apple tree, know that it is always better to avoid starting from the seed, opting for the purchase of a plant already grown (at least 1-2 years old) and already grafted by the nurseryman, to whom you will need to ask for advice on what are the varieties most suitable for the climate of your city, as well as possibly the optimal ones to grow in pots.
Attention then: if you want to grow a single apple tree make sure you buy a plant that self-pollinates; because in general, the apple tree is a cross-pollinated plant and therefore for it to bear fruit normally it is necessary to have more than one specimen.
Apple trees are sold bare-rooted and must be planted from October to April. To plant a plant of this type correctly, you need to make a hole at least half a meter deep and about one meter wide in order to better arrange the roots.
For the twelve months following planting, it is best to let the apple tree grow naturally.
At the end of winter and after flowering, it is always advisable to carry out a preventive treatment with Bordeaux mixture, so as to prevent the plant from developing diseases.
Every year, to ensure a suitable fertility of the soil so as to have a good fruiting, it is advisable to add organic fertilizer in autumn, and a special fertilizer for fruit trees in spring. Always pay attention to the presence of lice and parasites and before pruning your apple tree, find out how to do it.
In pots, it will be enough to ensure the apple tree has more than enough soil, choosing a large enough pot. In spring and summer, you will need to irrigate frequently and use fertilizers and mature compost.
In conclusion
Following our advice, in April you can enjoy a splendid flowering, with colors ranging from pure white to pinkish white. The optimal period for harvesting fruit, however, changes depending on the variety of apples you are dealing with. Remember that your apple tree will begin to bear fruit 2-4 years after planting: so it is good that you are willing to be patient.
I am interested in growing apple tree. Kindly support from planting to fruits