Apple Trees

I’ve planted thousands of trees of almost all shapes, sizes, ages, on both our hunting land and near our homestead…except apple trees.

The wife seems to think we need apple trees along our hay field adjacent to the house. Although I like the idea of it, I’m not exactly sure what it all entails and how I’ll find time to care for them on top of everything else…but what momma wants, she generally gets. Questions below for the IDO Apple Tree Experts:

-What varieties of apple trees grow decent and produce in MN? (hardniess, ease of growth, resistance to the damage/pests)

-Is there any reason to NOT plant some yet this fall in the next week or two? I’ve actually had MORE success with other types of trees planted in late September than during MN’s unpredictable Springs.

-I am armed and experienced with wrapping, fencing, shooting animals away from other trees, but what other considerations need to be taken to protect young apple trees?

-Are there any places you’ve purchased them South/SE of the Metro with success? (Ideally Hastings/Red Wing/Lake City area, but will venture further if needed)

Make sure and find ones that bloom around the same time so you have pollination. Plant a few crabapples they pollinate everything and bloom along time. Dont know where you are but make sure and check zone hardiness.

Bucky two springs ago I planted two apple trees from Runnings in Red Wing, so this is the 3rd summer I’ve had them in the ground. I wish I could remember the names but I know one of them was like “Freedom” or something. They were about $75 each at Runnings. The second summer one of them produced apples and this year both did, and they look pretty good.

If deer are a possibility at all I would recommend plenty of buffer room with fencing. As mine have grown the ends get nibble off by deer, and during the real rough winter two years ago deer almost mangled one of my fences because there was so much snow and very little else to get at.

I realize I’m very little help…but we just grabbed two different apple trees and they seem to be doing OK. When we bought our place 5 years ago there were 3-4 mature apple trees already and I wanted to start a new “generation” so there’s no gap when the ones we do have don’t produce anymore.

Not sure how many you plan on planting, but be warned.

If you have alot of fall chores currently, add picking apples to the list. It can be quite time consuming…

I’d put in a variety of crab apples also, in the spring when they bloom there ain’t nothing that’s looks that beautiful and the fragrance is heavenly.
I have Bartlet Pair trees and the fruit is spectacular.

I have a zestar, honey crisp and fireside in my yard (along with some ornamental crab apples), galesville WI, by far the honeycrisp has been the most temperamental, i thought it was a goner twice now but bounces back the next spring. The zestar has grown like crazy in comparison, they were both planted (6-7′ tall potted trees) in 2019, this was the first year the honey crisp had a bloom and year 3 of the zestar producing apples. Fireside was planted last spring and did have a bloom this spring. Protect the bases from rabbits, there were two apple trees in the backyard when we bought the place, both got girdled by rabbits the winter before we purchased and it killed them. As mentioned make sure to get multiple varieties that are compatible pollinators unless there are plenty of other apple trees nearby that will work.

If you hunt the land – they can by a DYNAMITE addition to a food plot. Deer will be all over those things if they let them mature.